growing grain for chickens

[sammileah]

I'm thinking of trying to grow some grain for my family and chickens. nothing huge cause I don't have alot of space.
has anyone grown grains before? if so what worked. I'm not doing corn I live in Iowa so bushels of corn is free if you walk fields for it
any errors you'd like to share, things that worked,amounts yeilded to space you have
thanks.

 

[Greensage45]

Hi,

Welcome to TEG!

I did Millet this year. I did a patch about 5 x 5 and I did my rows 12 inches apart.

I found that the millet on the upper banks of the mounds did better than flat ground, so next year I will do more mounding.

I harvested a nice bit of millet. I made over 10 bundles with at least 50 heads per bundle.

Well, with my Lovebirds, my Parakeets, and my Rabbits I am now 75% through it. I did not grow nearly as much as I needed.

I will be much more productive next year. I also plan on growing some Milo. The only way corn would work for my birds (bantams) would be if I invested in a grain grinder to crack the corn. I am not prepared to do it with a stone yet LOL

So I guess the only real dilemma is space. Only way to find out is to go for it and see how much you get. Right near the end when my millet was going into maturity is when the birds detected it. I may have lost some to the wild birds. So netting will be an investment too. Unless your Scarecrow works better than mine !

Goodluck and keep us posted,

Ron

 

[Sam The Yam]

Ron,
Where do you get millet seed? I would like to try that myself.

Hi,

Welcome to TEG!

I did Millet this year. I did a patch about 5 x 5 and I did my rows 12 inches apart.

I found that the millet on the upper banks of the mounds did better than flat ground, so next year I will do more mounding.

I harvested a nice bit of millet. I made over 10 bundles with at least 50 heads per bundle.

Well, with my Lovebirds, my Parakeets, and my Rabbits I am now 75% through it. I did not grow nearly as much as I needed.

I will be much more productive next year. I also plan on growing some Milo. The only way corn would work for my birds (bantams) would be if I invested in a grain grinder to crack the corn. I am not prepared to do it with a stone yet LOL

So I guess the only real dilemma is space. Only way to find out is to go for it and see how much you get. Right near the end when my millet was going into maturity is when the birds detected it. I may have lost some to the wild birds. So netting will be an investment too. Unless your Scarecrow works better than mine !

Goodluck and keep us posted,

Ron

 

[Greensage45]

Millet is the predominant white/pale seed in most bird mixes. There are several sizes and several color ranges.

I also purchase what is called Millet Spray, sold in most pet food stores; I simply use that seed in the garden.

This is also how I will grow the black sunflower seeds and the milo that I will use with the chickens. :bee

Ron

 

[injunjoe]

Millet is the predominant white/pale seed in most bird mixes. There are several sizes and several color ranges.

I also purchase what is called Millet Spray, sold in most pet food stores; I simply use that seed in the garden.

This is also how I will grow the black sunflower seeds and the milo that I will use with the chickens. :bee

Ron

I do the same thing Ron.
I go to my feed store and buy seed by the pound.
They looked at me a little funny when I got 1/2# of sunflower and 1/2# of feed corn. I told them what it is for and was like hum never thought of that!

 

[Sam The Yam]

Thanks both of you for responding. I really want to try to grow some of their own food so this will help me know what to do.

 

[sammileah]

never thought of using feed as seed I'm at the feed store twice a month that makes it easy. here I'm looking for seed online
thanks everyone keep the tips and ideas coming

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i just got a great book - Small Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsdon

might just be the ticket for you. i've just started it but i like how he says you can grow enough for your livestock (including chickens) and your family in a relatively small space

check it out! i got mine, used, from amazon a bit cheaper than the bookstore.

good luck!

 

[Greensage45]

You can review a portion of this book here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15689516/Small-Scale-Grain-Raising-by-Gene-Logsdon-Book-Preview

Ron

 

[cwhit590]

i just got a great book - Small Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsdon

might just be the ticket for you. i've just started it but i like how he says you can grow enough for your livestock (including chickens) and your family in a relatively small space

check it out! i got mine, used, from amazon a bit cheaper than the bookstore.

good luck!

I just got that book too! Gene Logsdon has some great books out there...I need to get my own copy of The Contrary Farmer...

I would like to try millet next year for my chickens too...Greensage - you grew the spray type millet? or the white birdseed kind?