I am a firm believer in variety! I know that a chicken’s sense of taste is nowhere near as refined as a person’s, but it seems apparent, if you watch your chickens eat, that they seem to prefer some foods over others. In my flock for example, fresh raspberries are devoured a lot quicker than tomatoes, and they prefer spaghetti noodles over rice. It is also a fact that different foods contain different vitamins and minerals and in different amounts. I think that as long as your chickens are getting a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, greens and herbs, in addition to their formulated feed, they will enjoy their diet and live long, healthy, productive lives.
One of the things that I like to feed my chickens is sprouts. Sprouts are easy to prepare, inexpensive, nutritious and my chickens enjoy them! They are especially good in the winter months when there is not a lot of grasses or garden produce available.
I sprout lentils for my flock, for a couple of reasons. I have tried sprouting grains and have just not had much luck. Most of my attempts ended up moldy. I have been very successful in sprouting lentils! Lentils are fairly inexpensive and they are a good source of protein, minerals and fiber. They are also a natural source of folate, or folic acid, which is essential for proper growth, brain development and healthy feathering. Hens who have a folic acid deficiency may also show a decrease in egg production and lower hatch rates in fertilized eggs. So lentils are my choice in sprouts.
I have also tried a few different methods of sprouting without much success. I settled on a simplified method that works great for me and requires minimal equipment! Here is what I do:
Equipment required: a quart, wide mouth mason jar and a strainer.
First, I add about one inch of lentils into the bottom of my mason jar.
I add enough water to cover the lentils plus about 2 inches. Leave the jar in the window sill or on the counter for at least 24 hours with the lentils soaking in the water.
After 24 hours drain off the water, rinse the lentils with fresh water and drain again. I use the strainer to drain off the water, holding the screen against the opening of the jar. I do not pour out the lentils, just the water. Other people have used a piece of shelf liner or a nylon stocking to cover the opening of the jar and screw it in place with the jar ring. Use what works best for you. Set your jar back in the windowsill or on the counter. Notice how much the contents of your jar has expanded and the lentils have begun to split and sprout.
After another 24 hours rinse the lentils with fresh water, drain and return to windowsill. Repeat for an additional 3-5 days, until sprouts are the size you want.
Them dump them into a feed pan and serve! Simple. As soon as I dump the sprouts out, I start a fresh batch. For the cost of a small bag of lentils, you can try your hand at sprouting and show your chickens some love! Your chickens will be happy you did!
