Sprouting grain mixes

[NestingMillenial]

I am gearing up to pick up my little backyard flock this weekend and was looking into feed options -> I plan on feeding them fermented pellets/crumble and they also will have access to the whole backyard all day, including the compost pile with fresh scraps.

I was considering sprouting some grains for them, since our backyard is more a dry weedy thing than a lush green prairie. I looked up a couple threads on here but still have a couple questions:

First, I know cracked corn won't sprout but is it going to go bad if kept wet among the sprouting seeds for a couple days to a week?

The other question is whether feeding always the same sprouted grains defeats the purpose or if that's ok to not have much variety (ex. if I buy a large seed bag, and use that for the upcoming year)

Two mixes I had in mind right now: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/plotspike-forage-feast or https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/value-mix-wild-bird-food-35-lb

Tbh, I am not really sure if that will matter much for the flock's health, and maybe I'm just overthinking it... just trying to figure things out!

 

[raingarden]

Both of those should work fine. It pretty much comes down to price and germination rate. I don't know if one is better than the others because of nutritional differences. If TSC sells hard red wheat or oats by the pound you can also use that. I like alfalfa but you have to compete with the health food market for alfalfa seed so the price is going to be higher.

 

[NestingMillenial]

I didn't see their by-the-pound section last time I went, but I'll check when I go back!

Thank you

 

[raingarden]

I didn't see their by-the-pound section last time I went, but I'll check when I go back!

Thank you

I guess TSC doesn't do that. The locally-owned feed stores often do.

Red wheat is a good scratch feed..... if you use scratch.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I sprout unhulled barley seed. 1 cup dry seed sprouted over 7 days gives great yield for my 10 ladies. They flip it and go for the seed mat first. I give it every 2-3 days as a treat.

 

[Sally PB]

I've done barley too. When I took it out to the chickens, they went crazy for it.

 

[reaganFF]

I sprout unhulled barley seed. 1 cup dry seed sprouted over 7 days gives great yield for my 10 ladies. They flip it and go for the seed mat first. I give it every 2-3 days as a treat.

Hi - your setup looks great! Do you keep in your kitchen year round? Do you have issues with drainage or do you just know the right amount of water?