Free Web Hosting by Netfirms
 Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms

 
Heart to Heart Aviaries


Sprouting Seeds

My birds LOVE soaked and sprouted seed. I had done a lot of reading for quite a while and decided that it just sounded like too much work and hassle for me. I was looking for simplicity. One day I decided that it was time to sprout some seed if it was really as good for my birds as they say it is. I felt that my birds were missing out on the best that I could give them. So I bought a parakeet seed mix and three Rubbermaid containers with a lid that can be plugged, to use to sprout them in. I cannot see paying the high price for those fancy sprouting gadgets when a cheap container can do the job just as well.


This is one of the containers that I use,
filled with seed and bleach water. I have
also used a canning jar in place of the container.

I use three containers because I want to keep a steady supply of seeds sprouted to feed our finches. I start a new container everyday to have fresh sprouts everyday. I use a parakeet seed mix with mostly millet in it. I fill the container about 1/3 full of seed and rinse the seeds really good to make sure the seed is clean. Then I fill the container with water and a teaspoon of bleach, sit it on the counter for about 8-9 hours, sometimes overnight if I don't get them started until evening. After the 8-9 hours or over night I rinse them twice, drain the water and turn upside down at a slant on the counter in a colander and let sit. I use a piece of plastic canvas (used for crafting) to make it easy to drain the seeds with out losing half of them. By the time that you rinse your seeds two to three times a day the bleach is totally rinsed out of the seed.


 I cut the smaller, more expensive
plastic canvas to fit inside of the
lid to for draining the seeds. This
wastes less seeds.
 

I rinse the seeds thoroughly two or three times a day. Once they start to sprout I put them in the refrigerator. I rinse them really good each time that I take them out to feed them to the birds. The sprouted seeds should have a sweet kind of nutty smell. If your seeds smell sour do not feed them to your birds, the mold and bacteria can make your birds sick. This is my method of sprouting seeds and I have never had any problems what so ever. I feed the sprouts to my birds every morning and when they have babies I give them to them again in the afternoon.


I make sure that the hole in the lid is opened and the container is at a slant.

The final result. Fresh nutritious sprouted seed to feed my finches.

 Rubbermaid container of the same kind that I use for just the seeds. I use plastic canvas over the hole of the container for easier draining. I cut the millet spray into 2-3I have also sprouted millet spray. I use a larger inch sections. I follow the same procedure as I do with the seed. My birds love this as well. But I feel that there is more waste so I prefer using a parakeet seed mix or just plain white proso millet. I also sprout larger seeds for my cockateils and parrotlet babies. 
 Home


 

 *~*~*~*~*~*  *~*~*~*~*~*
Heart to Heart Aviaries
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This website was created by Tonda