Peas and durum?

[Heather Mundt]

Hello! This is my first post here. I'm a new chicken owner. We have 19 red Sussex and two black ones (it's been a long day, can't remember the breed). We farm and it's seeding time and I just happened to get a large pail of yellow peas mixed with durum wheat. Our chickens are one month old now. I've only feed them chick starter and the odd handful of dandelions. Can I start feeding them grain yet? Do I need to buy grit from the store or can I just give them some dirt from our yard? We've got mostly clay but there is one Sandy spot plus gravel on our parking area.

 

[eggbert420]

They should stay on starter/grower until they are ready to lay, and then switch them to laying pellets. As long as they are eating starter they don't need grit. If you let them free range, they will find grit on there own.

 

[Heather Mundt]

They should stay on starter/grower until they are ready to lay, and then switch them to laying pellets. As long as they are eating starter they don't need grit. If you let them free range, they will find grit on there own.

Thanks!! And thank you for the welcome.

 

[eggbert420]

You can feed them the grain as a treat. I feed mine barley, corn and black oil sunflower seeds. I ferment it for them, they love it.

 

[Heather Mundt]

You can feed them the grain as a treat. I feed mine barley, corn and black oil sunflower seeds. I ferment it for them, they love it.

Is fermentation when you soak the grain for a few days?

 

[eggbert420]

Yes, I soak it for a few days the first time. Then I just keep adding to it. If it ever get to ripe I add a cap full of apple cider vinegar.

 

[Heather Mundt]

Yes, I soak it for a few days the first time. Then I just keep adding to it. If it ever get to ripe I add a cap full of apple cider vinegar.

Neat. I will have to try that! How do you know when it's too ripe?

 

[eggbert420]

It will begin to smell sweat it usually takes three days the first time. Then when you add to the mix it will be much faster. I add some at the end of each day. I use a big pickle jar with the lid on.

You can also soak the durum wheat over night then then place about 3/4" thick in a tray and keep it moist for about 2- 3 days till it sprouts. And feed it to them. They sprouted wheet ups the digested protein intake By several percent.

 

[eggbert420]

Neat. I will have to try that! How do you know when it's too ripe?

When its too ripe you will know as soon as you open the container.