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 Amador City California,
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. Amador City
California also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Amador City California, 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 Amador City CA.
Baby Chicks Types in
Amador City, California
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Amador City California
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
Amador City California * 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 Amador City
California * 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 Eggs For Sale in
Amador City, California
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
Amador City California 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 Amador City,
California Baby chicks are extremely
charming and
challenging to withstand,
yet it's finest to plan for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first
by gathering not just the
right products, but
also the appropriate
understanding to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
simple, you just have to offer them with the following: A
clean and cozy
habitat Lots of food and water Attention as well as
love Habitat Your habitat could be a straightforward box, fish tank,
cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
coverings (without loosened
strings!) to start, as well as after a few weeks use straw over paper.
Note: Avoid making use of only
paper or other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
misshapen. You also need
something to dish out food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
cover for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a
pet dog store. Additionally, as the chicks grow older you could present a perch
into the habitat to get them
educated on setting down. Warmth To
maintain your chicks warm you should
give them with a heat source.
This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb also function effectively (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which could use
up to 2 months). The recently
hatched require a temperature
between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and each week this could
be decreased by
about 5 degrees or
so. The warmth source ought
to be on simply one side of the cage
to allow chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
opposite edge of your warmth
lamp, you should
lower the temperature level. If
they are smothering each other under the
warmth (not simply cuddling),
you have to put some heat.
Home cleaning
Tidiness is essential as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter
the bed linen
usually and
always provide clean
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks expand very quickly
which calls for lots of clean
food and also water. Offer
sufficient in any way times as well
as inspect
usually to
stop parched as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and
also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
very first two months, after that
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for one more 2 months,
and after that to a slightly
reduced protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks want
to get a running start on taking
dust baths, while others won't take
up that task till they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
room, present a tray of sand or
dirt for them to bathe in.
Attention and love There are a couple of benefits to hanging
out with your chicks. To start
with, they will certainly most
likely bond with you as well as
not flee as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and
enjoy their actions, you can
capture ailment or various
other troubles previously. Keep an
eye out for hissing, hopping, or
other undesirable
indicators. Be sure to
additionally take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea could cause matted plumes and blocked cloaca.
Finally, it is necessary to look out
for social issues, such as the
smallest chick getting teased. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently fully feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety of your home
and also move outside into a cage. Check out our
section on chicken coops to learn more
concerning cages as well as
proper coop habitats.
Baby Quail Chicks For SaleBaby Chickens Mail More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Alturas, California Baby Chickens for Sale in Amboy, California Baby Chickens for Sale in Alhambra, California Baby Chickens for Sale in Alleghany, California Baby Chickens for Sale in Albany, California