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Post by mogal on Dec 8, 2022 20:18:48 GMT
Has anybody else sprouted grains to feed their chickens or other livestock?
I did it quite a few years ago for several winters but got out of the habit. And other projects have encroached on the space where I was growing the fodder. We bought 100# of bin run wheat for me to start the process again along with fermented feeds. I'm trying to remember how I did it and what proportions to grow. I had a lot more goats then than I do now so will take some trial and error to get it right.
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Post by countrymom22 on Dec 8, 2022 22:43:54 GMT
I have no advice but wish you luck! I'm sure your goats will appreciate your efforts.
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Post by Maura on Dec 9, 2022 15:20:49 GMT
I am fermenting the feed. I plan on growing some of it for fodder, but right now they are still nibbling on the grass. That won't last much longer.
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Post by mogal on Dec 18, 2022 14:03:24 GMT
We're out of grass unless the ground is soft enough today for me to put in some electric netting adjacent to their current run.
I'm fermenting feed and started the 4th batch for fodder (4h day with 4 more to go before the first is ready to feed). I'm using wheat that is locally grown and this year's crop so it's sprouting nicely. Both the goats and chickens will get the fodder. It's "bin run" which means it hasn't actually been cleaned, just straight out of the combine. One bag had a lot of chaff in it so I'll need to take it outside to winnow it before I can use it. Incidentally, a combine for harvesting soybeans, wheat, corn, etc., is pronounced with equal emphasis on both syllables rather than on the second as in mixing materials.
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Post by aunatural on Dec 18, 2022 15:59:16 GMT
I tried fermenting feed but I wasn't happy with the results. My feed cost went down, but my egg production also went down by half. mogal did you have a similar experience or did your egg production stay high? |
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Post by mogal on Dec 18, 2022 20:48:37 GMT
Aunatural, I haven't started feeding the fodder yet as it's not grown enough. I want green "grass" about 4-5" tall.
As for the fermented feed, it's scratch grains with some alfalfa pellets added and so far, egg production is a little better but I've noticed that they aren't as interested in the layer pellets. I need to figure cost of the fermented scratch grains vs. layer pellets and see how I can factor in the egg production.
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