| Sprout Recipe |
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| You can buy a sprout mix from China Prairie, or you can mix your own. This is the basic mix I use, but I do vary it occasionally. For instance, some times I use other types of beans (pinto, white, great northern, black, lima, etc.). Some times I add squash or pumpkin seed, but it doesn't sprout well and it looks like the birds don't care for it much. Also, since my birds are outdoors, I increase the percentage of fat (sunflower & safflower) during the winter months, and decrease it during the summer. You should be able to find most ingredients at your local whole foods or health food store, or even your grocery store, and some items at your pet store. Make sure you use fresh, clean ingredients, and use food grade or organic if possible. Never use sunflower seed in the shell, as they cause sprouts to mold easily. Combine all ingredients in a large container and mix well. If you use the quantities listed above, you will end up with about 11 pounds of food. 10# will usually feed a small bird (Senegal size) for about 6 months. Store in a cool, dry location. |
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| Sprouting |
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| Before you get started, you'll need something to sprout in. A mason jar (found in the canning section of most grocery stores) and a plastic sprout lid (available at health food stores) work great. You'll also need to add something to your water to inhibit the growth of bacteria and mold. I recommend you use grape seed extract. You can buy this at a health food store, or from China Prairie, under the name "Fresh Stabilizer". You can also use Calcium Proponate, which is used in baking. Soak about 1 cup of the sprout mix in 3 cups of water. Use more water if you find the sprouts absorb all of it. Leave the seeds soaking for 8 - 12 hours. Drain completely by laying jar on an angle. A dish rack works well for this. Once the seeds are drained well, leave them in the jar, in a cool location. While they are sprouting, you need to turn your sprouts several times a day to airate them. You should not rinse the mix after draining. As they germinate, heat builds up, which can cause the sprouts to mold. Turning them will solve this problem. Once you start to see them beginning to germinate, they are ready to serve. You should store the remaining sprouted mix in the refrigerator for up to a week. The sprouts are at their peak nutrition when they have just begun to show a tiny "tail". Once the sprouts get long and start to turn green or grow leaves it is not as nutritious, because most of the nutritition has been used to grow a plant. Start a new batch when you are down to about a 2 day supply. Depending on the temperature in your home, sprouts can be germinating in as little as 24 hours, but usually 48 hours. The warmer it is the quicker they sprout. Always watch for mold, especially in warm weather. If you see mold, THROW SPROUTS AWAY! NEVER feed moldy sprouts, or you can make your bird very sick. It would be better to serve the seeds dry, while a new batch is sprouting, than to serve moldy sprouts. You can also serve the mix soaked, if you need to. Soaked seed is already undergoing the biological changes and is more nutritious than dry seed. Just keep in mind the mix will be quite wet, and should be replaced often to prevent mold. Feed only fresh looking and smelling sprouts. Soon you will have a routine and know how often you'll need to start another batch. Be sure to add a good quality powdered avian vitamin daily, and a calcium-D supplement 2 - 3 times a week. You can also mix your sprouts with fresh fruit, veggies, and pellets. |
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