SOME FACTS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SPROUTED SEED

By E. Ninness
An article from Agapornis News, the Newsletter of: The African Lovebird and Foreign Parrot Society of Qld Inc.

Most Avicultural Journals and Books nearly all state, soak your seed for 24 hours then drain, and this information is supposedly written by experienced Aviculturists.

You only have to do a little experiment yourself to see that is not so. Grain needs only to be moist to germinate, not waterlogged.

The time taken to germinate is governed by the temperature and the type of seed, not the amount of water in it. If the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius or below, then 6 to 8 hours is enough.

My trials have shown that most grains can stand about 10 hours soaking before deterioration begins to set in and the longer you leave the grain after that then germination will be slowed by that amount of time.

It is also important to have free air movement, not only around your seed, but through your seed as well, to prevent mould; the single biggest factor causing mould is to restrict the movement of fresh air.

Remember to wash your grain thoroughly before soaking to remove as much dirt as possible.

Keep moist by washing at least twice a day.

If you soak your seed one day, it should be ready to feed by the end of the second day, anywhere in Queensland.

I soak my seed in Home Brand anti bacterial solution for sterilizing babies' bottles; just follow the same directions.

Always make sure to wash in clean water before feeding to your birds.