Sprouting Instructions by Lynne W.

It isn't often I can help with feeding but sprouting is the one subject that has me tearing my hair out; the difficulties people have with it are astonishing!

Soaking seeds is preferable to soaking beans, since it doesn't take so long to sprout seeds as it does to sprout beans. Also, the results are more nourishing for the bird, since the seeds do not need to be cooked afterwards.  It can be very dangerous to serve some types of bean without cooking them at a rolling boil for at least ten minutes, in order to get rid of poisons.

No dark cupboard is needed for sprouting seeds and no wrapping in kitchen towel; the air must be allowed to circulate around the seeds or they will go mouldy.

All you will need is one basin and one small metal or nylon sieve that will sit on top of the basin.

A sieve is a meshed bowl with a handle, you get them at kitchenware shops; no seeds will fall through the fine mesh.

Rinse the seeds well and then put them in cold water, in the basin; leave overnight, next to the sink.

Next morning, pour the seeds and water into the sieve, letting the water drain off.

Rinse the seeds under the cold tap.

Rinse out the basin, then set the sieve with the seeds still inside, on top of the basin.

Leave again at the side of the sink for the day; at least three times during the day, pick up the sieve and rinse the seeds under the cold tap, rinsing out the basin and setting the sieve back on top, to drain.

The next morning, tiny little tails should be beginning to sprout; you can now rinse the seeds again and use them to feed, leaving the extra seeds in the sieve and rinsing three times or more during the day.

Repeat, until they are all used.

Simple - no sprouter needed, no warm water, no dark place… nothing.

Just keep rinsing to keep them moist; you need to rinse them three or more times per day depending on the temperature and time of year.

You can use the seeds in his seed mixture - but remove any added fruit or soya

Seeds to sprout:

amaranth, hull-less barley, broccoli seeds, buckwheat, red clover, fennel, kamut, millet, mung, mustard, oat, poppy seeds, quinoa (sprouts very quickly), radish seeds, spelt, rye, wheat, wild rice etc.

I have never used any other method and I have never had any problems with mould or the seeds not sprouting.