producer’s pride scratch... is so dusty!

[yakitori]

I used to buy wild bird feed, but producers price scratch turned out to be cheaper, so I bought scratch instead this time. But! it’s soooooo dusty. I cant handle the stuff without getting white sticky floury dust everywhere. Are all scratch grains like this or is it because i bought a cheap brand?

I used to put the bird seed mix in a crock pot and cooked it until they were soft enough to add to my fermented feed, but now I just don’t want to deal with the mess. I’ll certainly be going back to bird seed next time, which isn’t that much more expensive.

on a completely related note, I adopted an efficient way to clean my hands of the dust. being the awesome chicken mom I am, I’ve turned my nice soft BSL into my personal hand towel.

 

[RoosterML]

I used to buy wild bird feed, but producers price scratch turned out to be cheaper, so I bought scratch instead this time. But! it’s soooooo dusty. I cant handle the stuff without getting white sticky floury dust everywhere. Are all scratch grains like this or is it because i bought a cheap brand?

I used to put the bird seed mix in a crock pot and cooked it until they were soft enough to add to my fermented feed, but now I just don’t want to deal with the mess. I’ll certainly be going back to bird seed next time, which isn’t that much more expensive.

on a completely related note, I adopted an efficient way to clean my hands of the dust. being the awesome chicken mom I am, I’ve turned my nice soft BSL into my personal hand towel.

Next thing is your gonna complain that your black sex link is getting picked on ever since you started using PP scratch.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I prefer the off brand bird seed, at least that way, if the birds miss some, it might sprout.

Birds miss some... hahahaahahahaaha!

 

[yakitori]

Next thing is your gonna complain that your black sex link is getting picked on ever since you started using PP scratch.

Good thing she’s top hen! And her feather is top quality material. I wonder what genes makes it so soft

I prefer the off brand bird seed, at least that way, if the birds miss some, it might sprout.

Birds miss some... hahahaahahahaaha!

I was actually surprised this year when I had some sorghum and sunflower plants come up. I must be feeding them too well...

 

[U_Stormcrow]

(I should say, I have deliberately scattered bulk bags of birdseed on my property to see what would sprout. Less than I would have hoped, but I now have small - and scattered - areas where red millet and white millet seem to be self seeding, plus the rare sunflower).

/edit already had native sorghum, volunteers from passing birds - unsure whether any took from the birdseed or not.

 

[yakitori]

On the topic of sprouting grains. I've been wondering whether sprouting grains actually make nutrients in the grains more bio available to the birds. Just sprouted, not fodder. I've read all different kinds of information on sprouted grains... and haven't been able to figure out whether it's actually worth doing.