FINCHforum

My first time sprouting seeds....does it look right? I can't tell if it's chitted long enough...I used the Mike Fidler method. I could only find Virkon S tablets instead of powder.

For the next time I try this, is it safe to crush the tablets and use that as a powder like he does?

Here's the link to his steps

http://www.fabulousfinch.com/how-to-spr ... birds.html

It looks like these seeds are just starting to chit, just breaking through the hull. Personally, I'd let them go a little longer, though they could be used at this stage (soaked seed).

I have the powder, so I haven't had to use the tablets. I think you would be OK just dissolving the tablets, though you could crush them to make them dissolve quicker.

I use the Virkon S tablets and would recommend crushing them into a powder first. Using the tablets takes hours for them to dissolve. Like the better part of a day.

I use the tablets and they dissolve quite quickly in warm water. Warm water also speeds up sprouting for me.

Thanks for the input everyone...I was surprised at how quickly my seeds dried out. We don't have a lot of humidity in the house though right now with the heaters on. I took two pills and dissolved them in a pitcher of water first, but didn't use warm water so it took a little longer than I thought it would. I ended up having to crush the part of the pills that didn't dissolve with a long spoon at the bottom of the pitcher and then poured the mixture on the seeds. I did this on Friday, and this is as far as the seeds have sprouted so far. Maybe they dried out too quickly? I only let the seeds soak for an hour and 45 minutes like Fidler suggested. Should I do two hours next time?

I always do 2 hours, the fresher the seed the better they sprout. Sprouting seed is a good test of the freshness of your seed supplier.

slwatson

I don't use any tablets or powders.
I just put some seeds in a strainer thingie, wash them well under running water, sit the strainer in a container of water (so that the seeds are submerged), and keep rinsing them and changing the water (until the seeds start popping open and showing the white/green begining of sprouting). It happens in an amazingly short period of time with some seeds, while others take a bit longer.

lovezebs If I do what Elana does, I get mold in my sprouted seed. I soak my seed in a 500 ml plastic container, add 2 drops of plain detergent to the water, soak the seeds for a day, drain it and the next the day, I will have chits.

MariusStegmann

I've never had any problems with mold, Marius. But then I rinse the seeds very often under running water. No mold, no bad smell, no problems whatsoever.

I've also boiled seeds occasionally, and my birdlings have enjoyed that as well.

Elana
How often do all of you sprout seeds for your birds? Do you use regular finch bird seed mix? This is new information to me.

thanks Karen

I sprout large batches the Mike Filer way and freeze it.depending on the number of boots you have, it could last a very long time. I sprout their regular seed, I don't get seed with those small colored pellets or thistle (thistle is sterile and will not sprout)

I had originally purchased this sprouting seed mix from Glamorous Gouldians or Lady Gouldian Finch, and then it sat in my pantry for a couple of month because I was scared to try it out. My mix did sprout a little more than the pic I posted, so I gave some to my birds and put the rest in the freezer. They seemed to like it

Spreckles

Hi Karen

Yes, just the regular seed mix. As Debbie mentioned, it's the seeds without any coloured bits in it.

Spreckles Since you don't know about sprouted seeds. A sprouted seed contains many times the nutritional value of normal seeds. Sprouted seeds are also easier to digest. It does not matter what kind of seed you use, I prefer the larger seeds like white millet, because they don't go through the sieve, when I drain the water.

In an earlier post I said that I use detergent with my sprouted seeds, but I meant to say bleach.

Sprouted seeds are also excellent food when parents are feeding babies, and as the first real food for fledglings to try out. Sprouted seeds stay good for quite a long time in the freezer, so you don't have to sprout constantly. I do large quantities and keep the excess in the freezer, then offer it with my egg food and veggies, my birds love it.