Growing Wild Bird Seed for chickens?

[Rick&chickTampa]

Was researching growing fodder today and ran across several posts about growing wild bird seed. I have always noticed when people have bird feeders there are lots of "weeds" growing under the feeder. Can someone share some of their experiences and knowledge on this with me. Does the seed need to be soaked?

 

[lazy gardener]

What are your goals? Winter fodder? Or do you want to grow bird seed on a plot of land that you can harvest for your birds?

I sprout BOSS, barley, wheat, and millet for my birds in the winter. BOSS will grow well from wild bird seed, as will any other intact seeds in your mix. You would need to provide the nutrients, water and spacing to meet the needs of each variety you are trying to grow.

 

[Rick&chickTampa]

I live in FL so it is mostly just to provide some greens. My coop is in what was my backyard garden so there is absolutely no grass or weeds in there. I have a small run but let them roam the entire area daily. I have let them eat up the left over pepper plants from last seasons garden but they are all gone now. I think of you daily @lazy gardener because I put up some roosts so they could get to the tops of the pepper plants, talk about a lazy gardened.

And what is BOSS?

 

[Chickassan]

You don't have to soak the seeds,but if you do you'll get a better sprout rate.FYI those whole chia seeds that are such a fad now are an absolute motherlode of quick grow greens and the chickens love them! A little funky to sprout they gel up like frog eggs.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I live in FL so it is mostly just to provide some greens. My coop is in what was my backyard garden so there is absolutely no grass or weeds in there. I have a small run but let them roam the entire area daily. I have let them eat up the left over pepper plants from last seasons garden but they are all gone now. I think of you daily @lazy gardener because I put up some roosts so they could get to the tops of the pepper plants, talk about a lazy gardened.

And what is BOSS?

Black Oil Sunflower Seed!

 

[Rick&chickTampa]

Black Oil Sunflower Seed!

I was reading about that too, and I have a bag that we used as a treat. How do I go about starting those. Are they the giant tall sunflowers? I was thinking of starting some in 4" or 1 gal Pots?

 

[Chickassan]

Poke them in the dirt and water, sunflowers are the most easy to sprout and grow things ever. The unstriped seeds grow smaller sunflowers than the striped ones those grow huge.

I was reading about that too, and I have a bag that we used as a treat. How do I go about starting those. Are they the giant tall sunflowers? I was thinking of starting some in 4" or 1 gal Pots?

 

[lazy gardener]

Do you get frosts in the winter? Sunflowers are not frost tolerant. Some topics for you to consider:

grazing frames, deep litter, Back to Eden gardening, fermented feed.

 

[Dayrel]

Here is a quick fodder sprouting video. You can sprout many kinds of seeds and it might be good to have a mixture.

 

[Rick&chickTampa]

We don't get frost very often.
@Dayrel what part of Indiana are you in? I'm a transplanted Hoosier myself. Just finished watching my favorite IU playing my local team USF.