Finding sproutable grains

[PandCo]

Hi,

I was just wondering where you all find your grains/seeds for sprouting? I can't seem to find them anywhere other than online, but I'd like to buy them in person if I can.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I buy mine in 50# bags at my LFS (local feed store). If they don't have what I want (it isn't a popular item for stocking), they will order it for me (around $18 in extreme remote location, probably cheaper near a city). The barley, which I tried first because according to my research was easiest with least mold trouble and max nutrients, has been working great though I get nowhere near 100% sprouting. I am working with about 55-62 degrees right now. I am excited ti try peas for their high protein content.

Will you be sprouting for chickens?

I have done tons of research and am thinking of feeding at day 4 instead of 7. But I find days to be inaccurate for my growth in my temps. SO I was hoping to find what they look like at the different stages... Day 7 is easy because the grass blades are just starting to open and reach a certain length.

Thanks for any info you have to share as well!

Hope you enjoy it here as much as I have. It has changed the life of my chickens big time and helped me learn how make it easier and more fun for me!

 

[Howard E]

For small quantities for a few birds, check out the bulk food section of your local grocery store. There are things there like dried peas and lentils, etc. They need only be whole and intact so they will germinate. Some stores may also have "wheat berries" or even bulk wheat where they grind it for flour in the store. Bulk whole wheat is good, and the hard red spring wheat will be highest in protein. Whole rye is also good. I am feeding a mix of both.

Plain old black oil sunflower seeds will also sprout and birds will eat those.

 

[PandCo]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I buy mine in 50# bags at my LFS (local feed store). If they don't have what I want (it isn't a popular item for stocking), they will order it for me (around $18 in extreme remote location, probably cheaper near a city). The barley, which I tried first because according to my research was easiest with least mold trouble and max nutrients, has been working great though I get nowhere near 100% sprouting. I am working with about 55-62 degrees right now. I am excited ti try peas for their high protein content.

Will you be sprouting for chickens?

I have done tons of research and am thinking of feeding at day 4 instead of 7. But I find days to be inaccurate for my growth in my temps. SO I was hoping to find what they look like at the different stages... Day 7 is easy because the grass blades are just starting to open and reach a certain length.

Thanks for any info you have to share as well!

Hope you enjoy it here as much as I have. It has changed the life of my chickens big time and helped me learn how make it easier and more fun for me!

The feed store around here doesn't sell more than one generic type of chickens feed. They primarily cater to cats and dogs of course... I get my feed from a friend who gets it from somewhere else. Maybe I'll have to track down the source of where she gets it so I can see if they sell those things. I was just hoping that they would be found in a Walmart or something!

Yes I am planning on sprouting for my chickens. I've read that max nutrient value peaks around day seven, but maybe I'll have to do more research about that like you. Especially when considering sprouting at different temperatures.

Thanks for your help!

 

[PandCo]

For small quantities for a few birds, check out the bulk food section of your local grocery store. There are things there like dried peas and lentils, etc. They need only be whole and intact so they will germinate. Some stores may also have "wheat berries" or even bulk wheat where they grind it for flour in the store. Bulk whole wheat is good, and the hard red spring wheat will be highest in protein. Whole rye is also good. I am feeding a mix of both.

Plain old black oil sunflower seeds will also sprout and birds will eat those.

Ah, excellent! This is what I want to hear. I'm going to check it out very soon and see what they have around here.

I do have black oil sunflower seeds, though. I might just have to use those for the time being. Any idea how they rank when considering nutrient values?

Thank you!

 

[lazy gardener]

If you find yourself doing much sprouting at all, you might as well buy the 50# bag. If you buy at local grocer or health food store, the amount spent there will quickly outpace the cost of one 50# bag. If you buy from feed store, be sure the grain is not heat treated. I'm sprouting wheat with decent germination. I much prefer barley, but couldn't get it this year. Used wheat and barley 2 years ago, and paid $26/bag for them. This year, I got wheat at $13. I've also used: BOSS, lentils (from the grocery store). I sprout lentils, alfalfa, and adzuki for my own use.

 

[Howard E]

On BOSS sprouts, I don't know how that stacks up re nutrition. I do know they like them a lot. After about a week or so, sprouts will slip the black hulls and form two leaves. You can feed them at any time once the small root stem emerges, but they like them a lot once they go green and slip the hulls.

Others to sprout that you can find in most stores, including Walmart, is dried chickpeas and blackeyed peas. Some also do black beans, navy beans, etc. True beans need to be cooked or sprouted before giving them to the birds.

Yet another cheap treat I've not seen anyone discuss, but what they would like a whole lot is the white hominy corn sold in gallon cans in the Hispanic section of places like Walmart. They also sell white and yellow hominy corn in 12 oz cans, so you might try those first to see how it goes.

 

[Howard E]

If you find yourself doing much sprouting at all, you might as well buy the 50# bag. If you buy at local grocer or health food store, the amount spent there will quickly outpace the cost of one 50# bag. If you buy from feed store, be sure the grain is not heat treated. I'm sprouting wheat with decent germination. I much prefer barley, but couldn't get it this year. Used wheat and barley 2 years ago, and paid $26/bag for them. This year, I got wheat at $13. I've also used: BOSS, lentils (from the grocery store). I sprout lentils, alfalfa, and adzuki for my own use.

You are correct about this, but as I recall, the OP only has 3 or 4 birds. I buy oats in 50# bags for 10 birds and those often get weevils in it before I can use it all. OP probably needs to stay with smaller quantities to keep it fresh. Even more so if they feed a variety.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You are correct about this, but as I recall, the OP only has 3 or 4 birds. I buy oats in 50# bags for 10 birds and those often get weevils in it before I can use it all. OP probably needs to stay with smaller quantities to keep it fresh. Even more so if they feed a variety.

I didn't see how many chickens anywhere.

No weevils or crawlies in mine and I raise meal worms. Some people even get grain mites in their chicken feed. But many chicken feeds are now using DE to combat.

 

[NewChickmom2016]

I just started sprouting for our 3 gals. I get hard red winter wheat from Whole Foods. I looked at a few places that have bulk foods- Whole Foods was the only one that had it. I make a couple batches a week- using a small plastic colander that I found at Daiso - a dollar store type place. Takes only a few days to sprout. I soak the wheat in water about 8 hours before putting into the colander. Planning on getting a second colander and double stacking them with the most recent on the bottom so that the gals get fresh sprouts every other day rather than every 4 days.
-Jerie