Ready to cut your animal feed costs substantially? Learn how to grow fodder for chickens and other livestock! Whole grains like oats, wheat, or barley make for an easy way to provide fresh greens to your flock.
Be sure to check out more ideas on how to feed chickens on the cheap!
If you’re raising chickens or other livestock, you know that animal feed can get quite expensive. Growing fodder to supplement their diet is an easy endeavor and one that will keep your flock happy.
What is fodder?
Fodder is a mat of sprouted seeds that can be used to feed a variety of livestock and small animals, including chickens.
While we think of whole grains as food, they are really seeds formed by a plant to regenerate itself. Untreated whole grains need nothing more than a little moisture to try to do what they’re meant to do: grow.
By giving grains the conditions necessary to sprout, they’ll do what comes naturally with very little effort on your part.
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How to Grow Fodder for Chickens
Sprouting grains into fodder requires a little bit of setup, but it’s not difficult. You’ll need some sort of shallow tray to get started. I used an upcycled storage unit with shallow sliding drawers. Check your local thrift store or rubbish bin for options — you won’t need anything fancy. You could also use:
- Styrofoam meat trays
- Baking trays
- Plastic clamshells
- Seed starting trays
The essential thing is that you are able to drill small holes for drainage in the trays.
Why grow fodder?
One of the best reasons for sprouting grains into fodder is that it helps stretch your animal feed budget by not visiting the feed store as often. Fifty pounds of whole grain can be transformed into as much as 300 pounds of fodder simply by sprouting it.
Sprouting grains increases their nutritional content and boost protein content slightly. And while it’s great for chicken feed, this fodder works as feed for other livestock as well.
You’ll need:
- Shallow trays — to be used as a sprouting tray; you can use baking trays, an assortment of recycled containers, or a unit like mine
- Shelving or a rack on which to place the trays
- Drill with a one-eighth-inch bit
- Bulk whole grain – barley, wheat, or oats work well
- Bucket
- Water
Making the fodder system
Drill several drainage holes in the bottom of each tray. Test to make sure the water drains sufficiently. A bit of residual water is okay, but if it’s really puddling, add a few more holes for good drainage. Using a stacked storage unit makes for a mostly ready-made system.
If you scavenge an assortment of trays, you’ll need a place to set the trays while the seeds sprout. Remember that the area will get wet.
Where to put your growing fodder trays
My fodder system is set up outside near the chicken run, making it easy to access and maintain. If you have hot summers, a shady spot is a good idea. Growing fodder during winter months will require an indoor space where it’s a bit warmer, but supplemental lighting is really not necessary.
Growing fodder
- Soak grain in a bucket of water overnight. Cover the grains with about two inches of water. How much grain to soak depends on the size of your trays and how many you’re filling. Aim for a half-inch depth for each tray. The grains have a tendency to mold if they’re deeper than that.
- Drain grains and transfer to trays. Spread evenly.
- Water each tray morning and night. If your region is really dry and the sprouting grains dry out quickly, you might need to water them during the day or experiment with using lids on the trays to help prevent evaporation.
- You’ll see roots within the first couple of days, followed by greens, which are the sprouted grain in the germination process. The growing fodder is edible at any point, but it usually takes a week or so to have a nice solid block of fodder that you can lift out of each drawer.
Related: How to Keep Your Hens Cool This Summer
Growing Fodder
Equipment
- Drill with a one-eighth-inch bit
Ingredients
- Shallow trays -- you can use baking trays, an assortment of recycled containers, or a unit like mine
- Shelving or a rack on which to place the trays
- Bulk whole grain - barley, wheat, or oats work well
- Bucket
- Water
Instructions
- Soak grain in a bucket of water overnight. Cover the grains by about two inches of water. How much grain to soak depends on the size of your trays and how many you’re filling. Aim for a half-inch depth for each tray. The grains have a tendency to mold if they're deeper than that.
- Drain grains and transfer to trays. Spread evenly.
- Water each tray morning and night. If your region is really dry and the sprouting grains dry out quickly, you might need to water them during the day or experiment with using lids on the trays to help prevent evaporation.
- You’ll see roots within the first couple of days, followed by greens. The sprouted grains are edible at any point, but it usually takes a week or so to have a nice solid block of fodder that you can lift out of each drawer.
Notes
- Drill several drainage holes in the bottom each tray. Test to make sure water drains sufficiently. A bit of residual water is okay, but if it's really puddling, add a few more holes.
- My fodder system is set up outside near the chicken run, making it easy to access and maintain. If you have hot summers, a shady spot is a good idea. Sprouting grains into fodder during winter weather will require an indoor space where it's a bit warmer, but supplemental lighting is really not necessary.
Hints & Tips for Keeping Chickens in Your Backyard
- How to Grow Fodder for Chickens
- Make a Chicken Swing
- Feeding Chickens on a Budget
- Butchering Chickens
- Mistakes I Made in the Chicken Coop
- Put Your Backyard Chickens to Work in the Garden
- Grazing Boxes for Chickens
- Plant a Chicken Garden
- Do Your Hens Need Supplemental Light?
- Chicken Coop Supplies
- Controlling Mites
- Keeping Chickens Cool in Extreme Heat
- Build a Chicken Coop Extension from Pallets
Originally published in July 2017; this post has been updated.
Is there as possibility to get a book form how to start grow fodder for sheep catle and goats
I don’t have anything like that, sorry.
We are new chicken keepers- do you throw the grains in as well? It’s ok for the chickens to eat that too?
It is safe for chickens to eat grain.
where did you get your wheat from?
The feed store.
How is this different from them grazing in grass?
It’s not a lot different; it’s a solution for when the chickens have overgrazed an area or the grass is dead from dry conditions.
What brand of seeds do you use? And where do you buys them? I’ve been trying to get some but in my rural town online shopping is about my only option.
The feed store is the least expensive option.
I saw a genius idea on the internet a few days ago. Plant fodder in a raised garden bed with a screen on top. Let the chickens peck what has grown through the screen and let it grow back then put them on it again. You don’t have to keep planting it. Just let it keep growing again.
That’s a good idea!
do you have a recommendation for where to purchase seeds? did you use organic? thanks!
The feed store! Organic is entirely an “owner’s choice” type thing. If it’s important to you, go organic. If not, conventional seeds will work.
I just started sprouting agricultural wheat seed for my hens. It has sprouted up nicely but has a bad smell. I sprayed it for a week. Do you know if fodder tends to have an icky smell? Sprouts are bright green and seeds look their normal color.
Smell is subjective of course but it shouldn’t smell super stinky. The grains have a tendency to mold if the trays are deeper than a half inch, so I would check on that.
Not to sound dumb but this would be my first try. So do I give the chickens the whole block of the sprouted seeds? How do I feed it to them? I’m only familiar with giving them hard food pellets in a bag from a feed store placed in the tower feeder. Do I have to keep watering it after I give it to them? Do I put it on the ground? Outside? Inside? What if they don’t eat it all? HELP!!
Keep it accessible to them and see if they like it. Make several, and keep them growing. I’d do it outside since the area will get wet. Good luck!
We have about 400 chickens, how much do you think it will take to feed them each day during the winter?
I guess you’d have to experiment, I just don’t know.
Great experience! Thank you for your kind offer of tips freely shared. Just tried it on wheat, rice, maize, sorghum n millet. All yields were great! Thank you so much.
You’re welcome!
Hello, Kris.
We wanted to implement a oat and wheat fodder system to feed livestock.
We were thinking about using trays with holes at the bottom and have water sprinkled about 4 times per day for 30 secs for the oats. Since the trays have wholes, the seeds will only get damp but wont stay wet.
– Is this spraying system enough to grow the fodder or do we need the flood and drain system to for this to work?
-If we want to water only between 4 and 6 times a time, at what temp should we keep the room in which we put the set up? It is impossible to do it out doors as the climate here in super hot most of the year.
We are new to this, I would really appreciate it if you could recommend a book that talks specifically about growing wheat and oat fodder. Also, if it is posible, it would be amazing if you could zoom with in order to ask more questions and get a more information about how t make this system work. In case the zoom meeting is possible, we are more than willing to pay you for your help.
We are a small ranch in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. We are very excited to hear from you, thanks.
We
The seeds need to be damp to sprout. I can’t imagine that spraying them wouldn’t work, but let us know! As for temps, I’d aim for between 60-80ºF.
How about the Scratch Grain feed? It’s a variety mix which includes soy. I’m pretty sure the answer is it’s ok but just checking.
Thanks
I’m not sure what you’re asking? Those are usually cracked grains, many of which will not sprout.
Can you use rye?
As long as it’s a whole grain, it should sprout!
Why can’t you cut the sprouts so they can regrow multiple times versus feeding them the entire block? I imagine it might be harder for them to eat if it’s cut. I guess I could try growing it through wire so the roots are left intact.
It depends what animals you’re feeding. It’s not recommended to give chickens cut grasses.
May I ask which part of the fodder that you give chickens then?
All of it!
Please, how does fodder work for broiler and again can I feed only fodder to broiler?
Fodder is good for all chickens.
After you have made your trays and grown your oats, do you replant them in the field/area that you have livestock or chickens?
No, it’s given as a feed, just tossed into their paddock.
If you have a field area, planting a cover crop of grains and legumes can be great, especially when rotating & irrigating the grazing area to allow plants to grow back.
I have had much success sprouting birdseed. I just use a strainer to filter out the corn and sunflower shells and srout the rest. I do it in mason jars on the windowsill – you can buy lids with strainers for the mason jars that work perfectly.
Great idea!
I found your article because I was specifically looking for information about growing fodder outdoors since I don’t have much indoor space available for this. My chicken run is bare of anything green (it didn’t start out that way, but the chickens keep it that way and outside the run is unsafe from predators). Anyway, I was hoping to see pictures of your outdoor setup. Do you have any you would be willing to post?
I’m sorry to say that my salvaged system finally gave up the ghost and I can’t find an image.
A chicken “salad bar” is an alternative, the chickens get their greens without digging up the plants. I do the deep mulch method, lots of leaves and old straw, etc. I just started sprouting some barley in trays,today. Thank you for your article!
You’re welcome!
Tried your method with oats, and it’s working great. Now want to try some other grain options and find a spot where wild birds can’t get at it.
I’ll be curious to see what you come up with!
do they eat the green parts too?
Yes — and in the winter when greens are scarce, they even say thank you. 😉
I’m really interested with this article. By Almighty will I will try it for me to reduce feeding cost.
Sir my question is how can I gave it to them in first time?
Thank You very much.
Just tear off a piece of the fodder and put it in their feeding area.
feeding animal as fresh or in dry matter is good?
I’m not sure I understand the question, I’m sorry!
After much grief, I have found that oats need to soak no more than 1 hour! Also, here in central Texas, use a small amount of bleach in the soaking water, and spray a dilute vinegar water in the container that will hold the seeds! (Sure helps the mold problem).
I totally agree the 1-2 hour soak spouts muck faster than 12-24 hour soak here in South -East state of Queensland, Australia
Need help, where do i buy the seeds to grow ie Barley and maize ( Seeds)
Thanks
Try a feed store.
Should the barley be hull less ?
No, you want them in their “seed” form, not prepared for eating.
Niceee……
I am an Indian guy & I have 100 black meat chicken is with me. Just I wanna Know, how much sprouted grain I should feed them daily
Roughly the equivalent of the dry feed. You’ll begin to see how much they eat and adjust accordingly.
How much barley fodder should I be feeding 10 chickens a day
Has anyone used Rye seed? I have a ton and would like to try.
I haven’t tried it, but it should work. Really, what’s the worst that could happen?
Do you re cycle water or just let it drain and keep using new water each feeding
Either works!
Ensure water is changes every 24 hrs to avoid decay and stink
Do I do this (sprouting) by buying seed or feed? If seed; where do most people buy it so it’s not so expensive? Thx. -DennisF
You can use whole oats from the feed store.
Thanks!!
Where can I find these whole grains? Do they only sprout once or can you do multiple times?
Probably the least expensive place is the feed store. And I feed the whole thing — seeds and sprouts — to my hens, so no, it can’t be reused.
can one use treated seeds for fodder growing
Treated with what? I generally opt for seeds as “clean” as possible if I’m feeding them to my animals.
What about chia seeds?
Can this be used as the only feed source or only as a supplement?
I think it depends on how you feel about feeding a perfectly balanced diet. I discuss that some here: https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/feeding-chickens-cheap/
can i use wheat grain?
Yes.
What grains work best maybe husband and I make treats for our chickens by sprouting sunflower seeds but that’s the only seed have used, what is the best
I’ve used oat and barley.
how do you give it to the chickens chopped up or they can handle the meal just fine with no extra help
Oh, they do a fine job of picking through it!
I did this for my alpacas and they really enjoyed the greenery in the middle of winter. I used oats, but will try barley or wheat this coming winter as well.
how much did you give your alpacas? I am wondering how much to feed them. I have 7 so far. Each is about 140 to 160#.