Fodder sprouting systems, anyone?

[mystang89]

Oh you're talking about when I first got started with fodder before I worked out all the kinks. Yep, forgot I had mold then but I'm proud to say that I have been mold free since then.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Yes,, and happy that you don't get mold anymore.. that stuff is nasty

 

[LBMBarbalooski]

I have enjoyed reading this thread as I really want to grow fodder for our bunnies. I started 8 days ago and have barely gotten a sprout yet. Finally decided the garage is just too cold so it all got brought into the kitchen where it is warmer. We are starting to see some growth but it is real slow going. Should I tent the containers like a little greenhouse? Would it need to be a tight seal or just a loose covering?

 

[MaggieJ]

What are you sprouting, LBMB? It could be your seed is no longer very viable. I don't think it would be a good idea to tent it like a greenhouse. It would only encourage mould (mold). If you are rinsing and draining the seeds once or twice daily, that should be plenty of moisture.

I suggest you start again with clean trays and fresh seed. Temperatures around 60 degrees F. seem to work well here. You should see germination within 36-48 hours.

If you want to give a bit more detail about your sprouting set-up, perhaps we can help you troubleshoot it.

 

[LBMBarbalooski]

We are sprouting wheat seeds that someone my husband works with had from a local feed store. We got just enough to try it out before we got bigger bags. I did buy barley last week at the rabbit show when we got our REW, but the barley I got is steam rolled and won't sprout. Ug. The little one likes eating it.

Back to wheat sprouts......I am using the bottoms of milk cartons that I punched holes in for drainage. I have a four shelf unit set up for drainage. The kitchen is plenty warm. You may be right about the seed not being viable. There is no clue how long this guy had it before we got some. I will try to post some pictures but there isn't much to see even after 8 days.

 

[beccasev]

I've been growing barley fodder for a month or so now. I'm actually practicing with my chickens as I dont have rabbits yet. But my chickens enjoy it too. What I've noticed is it takes about 4 days for me to really see any real growth, then it takes off. I've been experimenting with soak times too. 24 hours just makes ferment for me and they don't grow as well. 30 minutes didn't provide enough growth for me either. About 2-12 hours works best for my barley. I'm using the organic barley from azure standard. I try to do 2 hours in the evening but sometimes go to bed without draining. Both of those situations work well for me, but 24 hours was definitely too much. So I suggest playing with your soak times. That may help.

 

[LBMBarbalooski]

Well, I decided trying to grow wheat fodder in recycled milk cartons wasn't working. The growth was sporadic and the sprouts smelled horribly. Still, our younger rabbit gobbles it up as soon as I put the dish down. The older rabbit won't touch it. Silly rabbits. I got some 3 cup plastic flats at the Dollar Store and started a new round of sprouts with these dishes. I don't know if it will make a difference but I'm giving it the old college try. I also have these angled up on one side for better drainage. I don't think the plastic milk carton bottoms had enough drainage in them. The fodder system is now located in our kitchen verses the cold garage. Thus should make a difference. I hope to have some lovely green sprout emerging in the next few days. I too am playing with soaking times. 12-24 hours us what I'm looking at and will know if the coming weeks which one sprouts better. I did find out the wheat we have is from this summers crop so my problems getting it to sprout isn't from the seeds. At least I solved that mystery.

 

[dobergoat]

I've been sprouting for a bit now, but am having isses with wheat.

Backround - was mixing wheat, barley, oats and BOSS. But was getting mould, only looked like it was on the wheat. Next batch seporated out the wheat, and it was what was causing the mould. Now sucessfully sprouting barley/oat/boss mix for a while but can't get wheat to not mould. I'm not going to try anymore, but wondering why I'm having this issue. I've rinsed it with bleach and also soaked it in bleack water and still moulds. I soak/grow it like the mix, but always has mould, sprouts but with white mould on it.

it's making me crazy, I've used 3 different bags of feed from the same source - I wonder if it's the wheat source? should I be feeding this dry? ( non sprouted)

thanks

 

[MaggieJ]

Temperature can be a factor in the growth of mould, Dobergoat. I had not problems with wheat fodder developing mould at 60 degrees F but when the kitchen temperatures became warmer in the spring I found that I was having issues. Fortunately by then the growth of weeds etc. was beginning, so I just abandoned the sprouting for the season. I'll be starting it up any day now... so we shall see how it goes this year.

 

[markt1]

I'm going to do an experiment very soon addressing the mold issue. I want to try peas and wheat. In Europe they don't use chlorine to disinfect their water, they use ozone. Which naturally decomposes rapidly after use. Made from electricity and air bubbled through water. As a teen I once did a science project making one. So now I'm making an ozone generator to bubble ozone through the water I'll test for sprouting. Really nothing more than an aquarium pump, a glass tube, a neon sign transformer, aluminum foil, and some plastic tubing. The test will be deliberately keeping the water 73 degrees without any rinses at all to see if I can totally suppress molding. Got the pump, plastic tubing, foil, and the neon sign transformer. Looking for a two foot piece of glass tubing...

 

[dobergoat]

Thanks for the reply ( I really need to spell check my posts)

So wheat moulds at a cooler temp then oats, barle and sunflower?
Right now I am sprouting the Oats/Barley/Sunflower mixture in the kitchen, stays around 68 degrees. My basement is much cooler probably below 60, so I should try the wheat down there?

Something else I noticed is that there is alot of cracked and broken wheat berries in the bag, could this be part of the mould issue? I just dumped another 2 day old wheat only sprouting tray, white mould again....I wouldn't care so much except that it's the cheapest grain around here and highest protien
(other then the sunflower seeds)

 

[MaggieJ]

I've only tried sprouting wheat, not barley or oats, so I can't give you a comparison. The cooler temperatures for wheat may help.

Is there any way to remove the broken and crusted wheat berries? I'm thinking that could be part of the problem.

 

[dobergoat]

I'm not sure if I can seperate the broken ones. I'll have to try and see if I can find some way of seiving/straining them out. I'm leaning towards the mould being caused by the broken berries as well. From what I read wheat and barley is suppose to be the easiest to sprout, and oats can get mouldy. I as usual don't follow those rules....I'm going to buy from a different feed store and see if I get the same results.

Thanks

 

[Frecs]

So wheat moulds at a cooler temp then oats, barle and sunflower?

I think what MaggieJ meant was that since wheat sprouts at cooler temps, there is less issue with mold/mould since mold/mould does not like cool temps.

Right now I am sprouting the Oats/Barley/Sunflower mixture in the kitchen, stays around 68 degrees. My basement is much cooler probably below 60, so I should try the wheat down there?

The barley and sunflowers are going to prefer the warmth of your kitchen. Wheat will do well in your basement. Oats is a warm weather grain so it likes it warm. Actually, I am convinced that oats require passing through a horse's digestive system to sprout. :twisted: I do "sprout" my oats but never get much visible sign of sprouting. I do it anyway because the soaking process will at least *start* the germination process and the changes in the seed that I think make the seed more digestible for the rabbits.

Something else I noticed is that there is alot of cracked and broken wheat berries in the bag, could this be part of the mould issue? I just dumped another 2 day old wheat only sprouting tray, white mould again....I wouldn't care so much except that it's the cheapest grain around here and highest protien
(other then the sunflower seeds)

yeah, those pieces are going to mess you up. I can't imagine how you would sort them out unless you could get a colander with just the right size holes that would catch the whole berries and let fall the broken ones. I'd look for a source of better quality whole wheat berries. I get mine from a feed mill and am very pleased with their quality...actually quite surprised at the quality of their wheat berries! A prepper could use these in their human food storage supplies! (To give them a plug that earns me nothing: Coker Feed Mill in Goldsboro, NC.)

 

[dobergoat]

Thank Frecs. Sorry I wrote that incorrectly.

I think what MaggieJ meant was that since wheat sprouts at cooler temps, there is less issue with mold/mould since mold/mould does not like cool temps.

that is what I meant to say

I have not been able to sort through the wheat

I prefer to keep all the sprouting together so I don't have to run all over the house in the am.

I have fermenting buckets in the basement for the chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys. And sprouting in the kitchen for the birds and for the rabbits. If I were to move the sprouting in the basement, not sure on temp, but cold, below 60F, will I have problems with the oats, barley and sunflowers?

Which grains are the most useful to sprout? I still feed pellets, dry wheat, oats, barley and hay I also have access to haylage.

I have the option of using: Oats, Barley, Sunflower, Wheat, and could see if anything else is available that is worth sprouting. Trying to get the best bang for my buck

 

[Frecs]

Are you just sprouting or trying to grow grass?

I gave up on growing grass due to mold/mould issues -- I live on the coast of North Carolina and humidity is an issue I just could not overcome -- the shorter time period to sprout versus grow grass prevents mold/mould.

I use wheat because I can not get barley -- barley is said to be sweeter and preferred by rabbits but the nutritional comparison between wheat and barley is very close.
I use oats for their higher protein. My rabbits don't like they "raw"--they prefer them soaked/germinated.
I use the BOSS for the protein and nutritional profile.
I use flaxseed (a small amount) for all the good stuff it contains.

While BOSS and oats prefer warmer temps, I manage to get a sprout from the BOSS as long as temps don't go to freezing (I have to sprout outdoors.) If you can set up a string of Christmas lights (the ones in the plastic tube) around your sprouting containers, that should provide enough warmth to make the grains do their thing.

Now, tell me about your fermenting buckets for chickens and ducks! (Might better start that in the "other animals" forum.)

 

[dobergoat]

I'm sprouting for the chickens, geese etc, and growing it a little to fodder length for the rabbits, I feed them the 6 day old try. Although I'm not sure it's worth the work. So far mine won't eat the 3 day sprouted, but are devouring the 6 day growth stuff. So far no mould on the 6 day fodder, if I go longer I get some oats and BOSS that start to mould ( the ones that did not sprout).

Like the sprouting I've only been doing the fermenting for a short while. It's SOOOOOOO much easier. I don't feed the rabbits fermented - I can't seem to get info if it's okay or not. People say no, but I don't understand why. To me they would benifit from the fermentation as they are so in efficient - but then I don't know alot about rabbits only had them for 2 years and started non conventional raising in 2013.

I ferment using the bucket in a bucket method. I will start a post in the "other animals" section.

 

[mystang89]

Not sure what you mean by fermented method but if you mean putting the seed in the bucket to sprout them first I do that as well and feed my rabbits just fine so far.

 

[Frecs]

I'm sprouting for the chickens, geese etc, and growing it a little to fodder length for the rabbits, I feed them the 6 day old try. Although I'm not sure it's worth the work. So far mine won't eat the 3 day sprouted, but are devouring the 6 day growth stuff. So far no mould on the 6 day fodder, if I go longer I get some oats and BOSS that start to mould ( the ones that did not sprout).

Like the sprouting I've only been doing the fermenting for a short while. It's SOOOOOOO much easier. I don't feed the rabbits fermented - I can't seem to get info if it's okay or not. People say no, but I don't understand why. To me they would benifit from the fermentation as they are so in efficient - but then I don't know alot about rabbits only had them for 2 years and started non conventional raising in 2013.

I ferment using the bucket in a bucket method. I will start a post in the "other animals" section.

Yeah, it seems like fermented would be good for rabbits but everyone says "NO". Plus, I don't think rabbits like fermented as a few times the sprouts got a bit "fermenty smelling" and the rabbits would not touch them.

My rabbits, chickens, and ducks all LOVE the 3-4 day sprouts. The ducks and chickens will eat 6 day if I could get it there sans mold but alas I can not.

Now, off to find your other post...

 

[prairie dog]

I did the fodder sprouting for a while but started to have mold issues. I couldn't see it, but if I put my nose to it I could smell it, and so could the rabbits apparently because they stopped eating it. Now I cheat. We have a 160 gallon tank in the garage for my baby channel cats. I hooked it up as an aquaponics system so I didn't have to fool with the filtration. Since the lighting is low in the garage, I filled the two grow beds with wheat seed. Rather than feed the fodder at 6-7 days, I just trim the wheat grass a section at a time and feed the trimmings to the buns. The roots stay behind to help filter the water, and the wheat just regrows for another trim within a week. Once summer hits I'll have to switch to something that's ok with the heat, but for now it's working pretty well.