I remember growing up as a kid my Mom would have jars of alfalfa and other types of sprouts up in the kitchen cupboard. Yes, it was the 70's and yes, she was into healthy eating (whole wheat bread, unsalted natural peanut butter and tofu) way before it was en vogue. A woman ahead of her time, she inadvertently gave me an idea for healthy treats for our chickens this winter ! I've been trying to think of inexpensive, healthy treats for them since now with more than thirty chickens and ducks, it's just too expensive to buy them produce at the grocery store like I used to do when we only had eight. Turns out, sprouts are extremely nutritious and easy to grow. If YOU have also been wondering what you can give to your flock for healthy treats this winter when they can't get out to forage, and when produce isn't plentiful, why not sprout some seeds or beans for them? It's inexpensive and give the chickens much-needed nutrition when they can't be out eating grass and weeds.
You can sprout all kinds of things: clover, alfalfa, mung beans, peanuts, lentils, peas, quinoa, radish, mustard seeds, grains, clover, oats, garbanzo beans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, among others. Check your local health food store or online for organic beans and seeds for sprouting. (Caution: dried beans contain a toxin called hemaglutin and should never be fed RAW to chickens, however cooking or sprouting destroys the toxin. I would still suggest avoiding the larger beans such as lima, kidney and the like, and stick with grains, seeds and smaller beans like mung or lentil instead)
I recently sprouted some mung beans for our chickens. Here's what I did:
Materials Needed
Pint or quart canning jar with lid
1 rounded Tablespoon of mung beans (or other sprouting beans or seeds - organic is best)
Grapefruit Seed Extract or White Vinegar (optional) Cut the shelf liner to fit inside the ring part of the jar. This allows air to circulate inside the jar. You can buy pre-made sprouting lids, but this way is easy and inexpensive and works just as well.
Pour one rounded Tablespoon of beans into the jar and cover with cool tap water (optional: add a few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract or White Vinegar as a sanitizer).
Let soak for about 8 hours and then drain the water. Refill the jar with plain tap water and swirl the beans to rinse them well and then drain again. Hold the jar upside down and shake a few times to be sure all the water has drained out. (Alternatively, you can set the jar upside down in a bowl at an angle or in your dish drainer rack until all the water has drained.)
Set the jar on the counter in a spot with low light and continue to rinse and drain twice a day for several days. All you are doing is keeping the beans moist. Be sure to drain the jars well of all water each time you rinse.
By the second day you should see sprouts starting.
Once the beans have cracked open and started to sprout, move the jar to a sunny location, but not in direct sunlight - a southern exposure windowsill is perfect, to allow the sprouts to green up a bit. Continue to rinse and drain the sprouts twice daily until they are done. The mung beans took five days until nice green leaves had grown and the sprouts were done and ready to be eaten.
It's as easy as that, and both your chickens and ducks will love them. Sprouted seeds and grains are actually more nutritious than either feeding them whole or grinding them into feed. Try a different kinds to see which are your flocks' favorites.
I am planning on keeping five jars going all the time this winter, starting a new one each morning so one jar is ready to eat each day, for a constant healthy treat source for our flock.
P.S....YOU can eat them too! Add the sprouts to salads or sandwiches or just munch on them by the handful.
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hope Arkansas,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Hope
Arkansas also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Hope Arkansas, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Hope AR.
Baby Chickens And
Baby Ducks in
Hope, Arkansas
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hope Arkansas
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Hope Arkansas * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Hope
Arkansas * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby Chickens Coop in
Hope, Arkansas
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Hope Arkansas is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Hope,
Arkansas Baby chicks are really
charming and
difficult to withstand,
yet it's finest to plan for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially
by gathering not just the
appropriate products, yet
additionally the correct
expertise to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
basic, you simply have to give them with the following: A tidy and warm and comfortable
environment A lot of food as well
as water Attention and
love Environment Your environment can be an easy box, fish tank,
pet cat service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
blankets (without loosened
strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks use straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid using just
newspaper or other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand
malformed. You also require
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
meal from the feed store, or a pickle container
lid for food as well as a pet dog bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Also, as the chicks grow older you can present a perch
into the environment to get them
educated on setting down. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you have to
provide them with a warmth source.
This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb likewise work extremely well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which can occupy to two months). The newly
hatched require a temperature
in between 90 and 100 degrees,
and also weekly this can
be lowered by
roughly 5 levels or
so. The heat source need to be on simply one side of the cage
to enable chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your best
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
other edge of your warmth
light, you should
decrease the temperature level. If
they are smothering each various other under the
warmth (not simply cuddling),
you should put some warmth.
Home cleaning
Cleanliness is essential as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to alter
the bedding
typically and
consistently provide clean
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks grow very fast
which calls for plenty of tidy
food as well as water. Supply
enough in any way times and examine
often to prevent thirsty as well as
hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
very first 2 months, then
switch to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for another 2 months,
and afterwards to a slightly
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want
to obtain a running start on taking
dirt baths, while others will not take
up that task up until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to bathe in.
Focus as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will probably bond with you and
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
see their habits, you can
capture disease or other issues earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or
other harmful
signs. Make certain to
likewise look at
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can lead
to matted plumes as well
as obstructed cloaca.
Lastly, it is necessary to look out
for social problems, such as the
littlest chick obtaining picked
on. Vacant nest syndrome So your
chicks are now fully feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety of your residence
as well as relocate outside into a
coop. Have a look at our
area on chicken coops to find out
more
regarding cages as well as
proper coop environments.
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