Organic non-GMO ingredients, this product is intended to be fermented as silage for optimal nutrition with rich pro-biotics or ground fresh weekly. Once the seed is ground, it begins oxidizing so whole grain is
the most fresh and healthy. Some flocks will be happy to crack the whole grains. Provide adequate grit in that case. Another way to increase the nutritional/cost value is to sprout the grains.
Lacto-fermenting is fairly simple; just cover with rainwater(1) or bottled water for a few days or aged tap water (a week or two to eliminate the chloramines) and allow the lacto-fermentation to convert the sugars into lactic acid while preserving and even increasing protien, vitamins and enzymes, improving digestibility: beneficial pro-biotics. The same as sauerkraut - easy and safe. In a few days the feed will smell like fresh sauerkraut and your chickens will devour it.
Use this exclusively and your chicken's shit won't stink, supposedly
...or use it periodically for a healthy treat.
(1) The sunflower seeds will float but you want to keep it all below water level to prevent mold with something like a French press coffee device. I cut some flexible plastic sheeting to fit a bucket with a rock strapped on top for weight and drilled holes for the filter.
Here's an interesting article about feeding whole grain to chickens and about chicken feed in general. |