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 Rulo Nebraska,
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. Rulo
Nebraska also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Rulo Nebraska, 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 Rulo NE.
Baby Chicks Gender in
Rulo, Nebraska
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Rulo Nebraska
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
Rulo Nebraska * 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 Rulo
Nebraska * 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 Names in
Rulo, Nebraska
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
Rulo Nebraska 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 Rulo,
Nebraska Baby chicks are quite
adorable and also
challenging to resist,
but it's finest to prepare for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first
by compiling not only the
proper materials, however
likewise the correct
understanding to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
easy, you just need
to supply them with the following: A tidy and also warm
habitat A lot of food and also water Focus as well as
love Habitat Your habitat could be an easy box, fish tank,
pet cat provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
blankets (without loosened
strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid using only
paper or other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow
misshapen. You additionally require
something to dish out food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle container
lid for food and also a pet dog bird water dispenser from a
pet dog shop. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you can introduce a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
educated on perching. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you need to
provide them with a heat source.
This can be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from a
hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb also work effectively (my
suggestion). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which can use
up to 2 months). The freshly
hatched out require a temperature
in between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and each week this can
be lowered by
roughly 5 levels or
so. The heat source ought
to be on just one side of the cage
to enable chicks a variety of
temperature levels. The chicks are your finest
thermostat- if they are concealing in the
other edge of your warmth
lamp, you need to
reduce the temperature. If
they are smothering each various other under the
warmth (not just curling up),
you need to add some warmth.
Home cleaning
Tidiness is vital and also it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to transform
the bedding
frequently and also
consistently offer tidy
food as well as water Food as well as water.
Chicks grow really quick
which calls for a lot of tidy
food and also water. Offer
sufficient at all times as well
as examine
typically to avoid dehydrated and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated and
also non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
first two months, after that
change to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for one more 2 months,
and afterwards to a slightly
reduced protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking
filth bathrooms, while others will not occupy that activity up until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to bathe in.
Attention and love There are a
few advantages to hanging
out with your chicks. First of all, they will probably bond with you as well as
not run away as grownups. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
view their actions, you can
catch health problem or various
other problems earlier. Keep an
eye out for hissing, limping, or
various other unhealthy
indications. Be sure to
also take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted feathers and clogged up cloaca.
Last but not least, it is important to watch out for social problems, such as the
littlest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently fully feathery
and also its time for them to leave the
security of your home
and move outside right into a cage. Have a look at our
area on chicken cages to get more information
regarding coops and also
correct cage environments.
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