Fodder Anyone?

[nawma]

I know there is at least one member posting that feeds fodder. I apologize that I forgot his/her name. I plan to start a small production of fodder this weekend and would love to compare notes with anyone else feeding fodder. From what I have been able to learn so far rabbits can be taken off commercial pellets altogether if they eat fodder with some roughage suppliments like hay. I plan to use barley feed to start my fodder and am curious if anyone else uses other grains. I reade that wheat works well but that oats dont germinate well. Also curious about the transition. Dont want to make my buns ill.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

We feed fodder. It's possible to go fully without commercial feeds, but we still supplement with pellets. Make the transition slowly, slowly add more fodder each day. The important thing with fodder is variety. You need lots of other greens, grass, watercress, etc and a salt/ mineral block so they get all the nutrition they need. We sprout Wheat and Barley, wheat is great and sprouts great and we're going to try other stuff soon, like milo. Always rinse your seed in a 1% bleach solution before you soak it overnight prior to spreading on the trays. Ours is 4x the weight of the seed and we let it go for 7 days.

Here is our wheat on about day 3 or 4...

 

[nawma]

Your fodder looks great! I was unable to find whole barley to use. Visited five feed stores and came home with whole wheat. I will transition very slowly and continue pellets during the transition. Have not heard of milo but will check that out online. I would like to have several varieties growing and use them to suppliment our horses too. I had a horrible time locating trays too. So I finally ended up with small plastic storage containers. So
I will be keeping my eyes open to try to locate better trays.

 

[VickieB]

WMR, how large are your trays? Do you just put a tray into the rabbit pen? How often do you give a rabbit a new tray? I'm sorry about all the questions but I've only heard a little about feeding fodder and was curious on how it was done.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

The trays are 11" x 20". I just break off a corner for each rabbit, maybe a 4 x 4 square, lasts them all day, they are still getting used to it. We are harvesting every other day. Right now I am mainly using it to feed my chickens.... will be giving more to the rabbits as we set up our 2nd system.

 

[nawma]

Do you maintain your system at a certain temp? I read 75 degrees was optimum.

 

[Beachbunny]

WMR...where did you get your trays? I am using plastic food storage tray I bought at Wallyworld for 3.97 for a set of two. They are 14x9 or so. I have a DIY system that I made up from a metal shelf unit, trays with drain holes I drilled in the bottom, a container at the bottome to collect all the water with a drain hose to the ground. I have the system on my back deck that's roofed so the sun stays off of it. My trays get indirect sunlight. I am currently using a mixture of Iron Clay Peas( cow peas) and wheat, soaking the seeds a full day, rising with fresh water, then putting in the trays. I use the " flood and rinse" where the top row of trays get sprayed with water and it all drips down to the lower shelf . There is a good yahoo group...horse fodder...that I joined with lots of great info and people.

 

[VickieB]

Does feeding fodder make your fryers fatter, or fitter? (I'm sorry, I couldn't stop myself... )

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Do you maintain your system at a certain temp? I read 75 degrees was optimum.

Nope it's actually outside (in the shade). Been doing fine until this week where it has been nearly 100*- it's getting slimy earlier, so we're feeding a day earlier, no biggie.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

WMR...where did you get your trays? I am using plastic food storage tray I bought at Wallyworld for 3.97 for a set of two. They are 14x9 or so. I have a DIY system that I made up from a metal shelf unit, trays with drain holes I drilled in the bottom, a container at the bottome to collect all the water with a drain hose to the ground. I have the system on my back deck that's roofed so the sun stays off of it. My trays get indirect sunlight. I am currently using a mixture of Iron Clay Peas( cow peas) and wheat, soaking the seeds a full day, rising with fresh water, then putting in the trays. I use the " flood and rinse" where the top row of trays get sprayed with water and it all drips down to the lower shelf . There is a good yahoo group...horse fodder...that I joined with lots of great info and people.

We just got ours from a local hydro/ farm/ growing shop. Your system is similar to ours, but we used a plastic shelf so it wouldn't rust, and all our trays have misters.