Sprouted Seed

Sprouted seeds can help boost breeding results and are a great food source when chicks are left in the nest to be parent reared. Successful seed soaking and sprouting begins with good quality seed. You should achieve an 80% sprouting rate if your seed is fresh. Good hygiene and strictly following the process will guarantee good results each time.

Seeds: Sunflower, safflower, hulled oats, mung beans, lupins and barley can be used to name just a few. We keep it simple and use just sunflower and hulled oats in equal parts.

Procedure: Take a clean container (preferably stainless steel or glass) and place the required amount of seed in it. Don't over fill the container as the seed will swell once soaked. Cover the seed with water and allow it to soak for a minimum period of 8 hours and a maximum of 12 hours, strictly no longer as this will cause the seed to sour. After soaking for the required time, tip the seed into a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly with clean water until all signs of discoloured water are no longer visible. Place the strainer suspended across the container to drain off any remaining water and allow the air to circulate through the seed. Continue to rinse the seed in the same manner every 12 hours until the desired length of the sprout has been obtained. Placing the container in a warm place will speed the process. I like to do a 10 minute soak in "Aviclens" which is a water conditioner, basically it removes any mould if present. Some people use an extremely weak solution of bleach and water (1:100) to achieve the same result. Rinse again thoroughly and let stand before feeding to your birds. If you have followed this procedure correctly the seed should have a pleasant, sweet, nutty smell. If the sprouted seed has a foul or unpleasant odour, discard and start again. Sprouts can be kept in the fridge, however, we prefer to use the correct amount and discard any unused sprouts.