FINCHforum

So I recently sprouted some seed from my finches' seed mix. It was a pain in the caboose... To avoid mold, I used a sterile cloth as a medium instead of soil, sprinkled it with plain dry seed, and kept the cloth moist until I had some sprouts. It took about 4 days to yield less than two tbsp of seed, which was gobbled up by my birds in a little under a minute. D:

My question is, can seed be sprouted on a larger scale somehow? Is there an easier way, or a way I could sprout the seed in just water?? Or will it simply go sour in the time it takes to grow?

Is it best to feed the sprouted seed to the birds when it just has a small white pip growing, or should I wait for the leaflets to open and emerge? Thanks in advance for your help, this forum truly is a blessing for a loner like me!

MisterGribs

I have tried to soak seed and like you say and it took too long. I found a special soak seed sold by Abba and it is sooo simple to do. My understanding is that the small white pip is best for them, but as it sprouts bigger it is like giving them greens. Good luck with your venture, birds love sprouted seed.

To me it usually takes 24 hours soaking, then I simply put them in a covered plastic dish overnight and they will sprout by the morning.
Maybe it has to do with the climate?
I use my general seed mix, too.

As already said, you should feed yiur birds the seeds with the 1 mm white tip just appearing.

I use Higgins Soak and Sprout. Soak for 12 hours, then rinse for the next few days. Not much faster than your method, but easy and I make it on a larger scale (I have 3 birds).

lem2bert

I use a sieve, and rinse under water several times a day, untill they swell up and crack open.

If seeds don't sprout, they are old.

Do it in a jar and a dark place like under the kitchen sink.
Rinse them well and cover, next day rinse with water and a touch of bleach and cover.
Once they sprout, rinse with water and a little touch of bleach.
Then rinse again till smell of bleach is gone.
Feed too birds.
The bleach will kill any bacteria.

I bought a seed sprouting jar at Whole Foods for $4. I soak the seeds overnight, rinse well and drain. The jar goes in the kitchen window and the seeds get rinsed thoroughly at least twice each day. If I don't, they start to smell sour. It takes 2-4 days for the seeds to sprout. The guys eat the sprouted seeds for the next 3 days, and by day 3 they look like little plants, but the birds still love them.

I have a feeling that these seed companies are treating their seeds with something to keep them from sprouting, because some of the seed I used to buy would never, ever sprout, no matter what I did.

lovezebs

So is that all you do? When you rinse them in the sieve where do you put the seed each day until it's ready?

marymac

I leave them in the sieve, and rinse, toss around, and rinse.
Then set them over a bowl.

lovezebs

Great!!! I'm going to give it a try! Thanks

I found some Wheat Grass growing in a tub at my grocery store and put the whole thing in my cage. All my guys are pulling at it and eating it! I'm rotating it, taking 2 out to water and air out, and putting new ones in..... they love it!!!

BigBear0007, I used to operate greenhouses and I've had quite a bit of training on disinfecting. Bleach doesn't do much to help keep sprouted seed safe, because the organic matter (seeds!) ties up all the chlorine almost instantly and it isn't available to kill fungus or bacteria. For that reason, the recommendation to use bleach in greenhouses, for pots and tools and benches, was changed years ago.

Bleach is good for disinfecting surfaces that are pre-cleaned, but not for surfaces that have organic matter in pores or cracks.

Rinsing the seed well, morning and night, will do the trick. If you have to be away and won't be there to rinse, just put them into the fridge until you can re-start the process.

lovezebs wrote: marymac

I leave them in the sieve, and rinse, toss around, and rinse.
Then set them over a bowl.

This is exactly what I do, too...but I soak in water for 8-12 hours first...then drain, rinse, and let sit. Rinse morning and night, and let drain over a bowl.

i would suggest that if you are interested in sprouting seeds for your birds you take a look on youtube for a 3-video series by Mike Fidler. Very informative and easy to do. We have mostly parrots but have about 70+ finch and sprout hundreds of pounds annually. If you follow his method and suggestions you really shouldn't have any problems. I think a common mistake is to soak too long and then let sprout beyond the "chit" stage.
John

I just throw the seeds into a vase with earth in it and keep it moistered, then i let the greens grow up to 5 cm before i chop them down.

But i belive it is called harvesting, not sprouting, my birds love it anywise.