How to Germinate Wheat Seed for Chickens

Your chickens will love germinated wheat seed.

The benefits of wheat grass--grown from germinated wheat seeds--is not just noticeable in human health, but a range of animals and birds benefit from its consumption. Chickens love to eat fresh plants, so will readily peck their fill of wheat grass if given the chance. Germinating wheat seeds for your chickens is by far the more economical way of attaining wheat grass for them; otherwise you’ll spend a fortune for wheat grass.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• 1 cup wheat seeds
• Greenhouse tray
• Paper towel, unbleached
• Spray bottle
• Plastic sheet

Instructions

1. Wash the wheat seeds with cold water in the bowl, draining out the old water, and refilling twice before leaving to soak for around eight hours.

2. Place three full layers of the paper towel into the bottom of the greenhouse tray. Fill the spray bottle with water, then soak the paper towel with the spray bottles so that it is completely wet, but there is not standing water in the bottom of the tray.

3. Drain the wheat seeds from the bowl and sprinkle them over the entire greenhouse tray, trying for one even layer of seeds. Place the plastic sheet over the tray to keep in moisture and warmth.

4. Spray the seeds with water the next day, and the day after that. The seeds should be moist, but not sitting in water. Pour around 1/2 cup of water into the tray on a daily basis for the next six or seven days.

5. Cut the grass around day 10, leaving 1 inch of length in the tray. Feed the germinated wheat grass to the chickens. The tray will continue to produce the feed for around a week longer. Start your rotational tray on day seven of the first tray, and you’ll have a constant supply of germinated wheat seeds to keep your chickens happy and healthy.

References

• Alternative Healthzine: Wheat Grass
• Happy Juicer: Growing Wheatgrass
• Mumms Sprouting Seed: Growing Wheatgrass