We use barley. When sprouting barley, you need the whole grain, which
means either a hull-less variety or unhulled. If it has been separated,
the part of the seed that germinates is often damaged. You can ferment
dehulled barley, but not successfully sprout it. When you sprout the
barley, the hull washes off once the germ has grown. You rinse out the
growing sprouts several times a day, and the hulls all wash off. I grow
mine to about 3 inch green sprouts (about 5-6 days). Its not officially
called fodder till the blades are over 5 inches tall. But they get
some green, and lots of yummy roots and sprouted seeds. It has a better
protein content than some of the other grains you mentioned. Some say
one shouldn't feed more than 7 % of total diet as barley. It has
something that chickens don't produce the enzyme to fully digest.
However, my chickens also get kefir regularly, which gives them what
they need to fully use/digest the barley. And they are very healthy.
They are still getting pellets as well - but the barley is probably over
50% of their diet. Wheat is almost impossible to get non-GMO. I
wouldn't use it. I do occasionally use oats. Sara
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