3 seed mixes: Big Bird, Middle Sized Bird and Lil' Bird.
Any mix will work for any bird - the names refer to the size of the seeds not the size of the bird.
Recommended by many avian experts
sprouts are loved by many a feathered creature!
Nutritional info:
Vitamins A, B, C and E
Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium
Amino Acids
Protein: So many sprouts with different values - 10-35%
We sell a Bird Basics Sprout Kit too
- it has an Easy Sprout sprouter and 2 pounds of the bird blend of your choice.
We now have How-To-Sprout Videos Come and visit Sproutpeople on YouTube Learn how to sprout with our video instructions also available here on our web site
Sprout Kits
Seeds, Sprouters & more for Newbies and Experienced Sproutpeople. Sprouting Seed Samplers
Sample our VAST selection of Seeds to find those you like best!
Put 2/3 Cup of seed* into a bowl or into your Sprouter.
Add 1 cup cool (60-70 degree) water.
Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
Allow seeds to Soak for 8-12 hours.
Note: There are some seeds in these bird mixes whose sprouting instructions call for less soaking. Fear not. In the interest of convenience we have mixed all the seeds together and we can tell you from vast experience, they will sprout quite well if you follow the directions here.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter (if necessary).
Drain off the soak water.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water
and Drain thoroughly.
Set anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal) between Rinses.
Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
Then Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
And, perhaps one more... Rinse and Drain in 8-12 hours.
We usually stop here.
Most of your seeds will now have little tails (sprouts). Not all of the seeds are intended to germinate in this amount of time but , as soon as a seed soaks up water it’s nutritional value skyrockets, it's enzymes are no longer inhibited! So know that what you are feeding your friends is beyond compare - tail or no tail!
You can trust that the batch is done when most have sprouts. They are ready to feed! You may grow them longer if you like - experiment to see what your bird’s
favorite stage is.
Depending on your climate and the time of year you are sprouting and most importantly your personal preference - You may Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for several days. However - we prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have sprouted tiny (1/4 inch) roots, which is typically after just 2 or 3 Rinse and Drain cycles.
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. Be sure to Drain them as thoroughly as possible after that final rinse.
The goal during the final 8-12 hours is to minimize the surface moisture of your sprouts - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch.
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice - glass is good - and put them in your refrigerator.
Note:These do not store particularly well in refrigeration so you should try to grow just what you need. It isn't actually that they store poorly, it is just that there are quite a few grains in here and they are cool weather crops, so though they slow down quite a bit, they continue to grow - even in the refrigerator.
Plants for Birds?
Some folks have told us that birds also like these seeds grown into plants - on soil. And that birds are well served nutritionally by the soil as well as the plants.
If you are interested in growing our mixes on soil we can tell you that they work quite well (see that lil' picture?) and that all you need is a container with drainage.
Follow these directions
if you wish to grow avain plants:
Sprout your seeds as detailed above.
Spread seeds evenly on thoroughly moistened soil.
Cover the container.
Place in a low-light, room temperature location.
(70° is always optimal)
Water lightly every day or two the goal is to keep the seeds moist (as with any sprouts) until their roots bury themselves in the soil - at which point your goal is to keep the soil moist.
You may uncover your plants at this point or you may wait a few days until your plants are an inch or two tall.
Water
from the side if possible, to prevent injuring the tiny plants.
Move to a well lit location to turn 'em green
(If you use direct sunlight be prepared to do more watering). Keep it moist. Watch them grow. Feed when you like.
Everything the Big Bird could desire in Sprouts! Actually, Big refers more to the size of the seeds than to the size of bird. Our most trusted avian cuisine consultant tells us any bird can enjoy any of our mixes - so try 'em all!
Smaller birds will love this beautiful mix of 26 certified organic seeds, but so will your big birds =:-D
We sell a Bird Basics Sprout Kit too
- it has an Easy Sprout sprouter and 2 pounds of the bird blend of your choice.
Note: We mix our seeds by hand, so the mixes will not always look like the pictures (some people actually complain about that), nor will any 2 bags of seed be identical in their make-up. This is true of all of our mixes. Just like a cook, my mood may, to some degree, alter a mix - somedays I'm just spicier than others (as an example), so I may throw in a few more radish seeds than usual.
Also - we can not do custom mixing. some of our customers ask us to leave out this or that seed and add more of something else. We just can not make the time for that sort of thing - sorry. You can always order pounds of individual seeds and make up your own mixes. It's fun!
I do not wish to complain, but I have to tell you (again (I know you are sick of hearing it)) that we are just a tiny family business. We work more hours than the average workers and we just can't work more or we'll never see our kids. So remember - when you ask us for special treatment (we like to think we treat everyone special to begin with) you are asking us to spend less time with our kids. How's that for a guilt trip =;-D
Sprouting Devices
to use for
Avian Sprouters
Follow links for detailed information
Easy Sprout
Our most popular human and avian sprouter, Easy Sprout is also our personal favorite. Great drainage and the best air-circulation of any sprouter. The mandatory choice for tropical sproutpeople. Very versatile!
SproutMaster
The greatest tray sprouter ever. Stackable - add trays to build your own sprout skyscraper. Excellent drainage . Very versatile.
Tube with Lids
Very good drainage and exceptional air-circulation. Crystal clear heavy duty plastic make it our top choice for kids who sprout, but it is a great choice for adults too.
Comes with 3 screen lids and 1 solid lid.
Hemp Bag
The perfect bean sprouter and also good for other seeds. The best travel sprouter ever! Superior drainage and air-circulation.
Jar and Lid
The least expensive, most basic sprouter.
Less air-circulation and drainage than other sprouters, but a fine choice for any skilled sprouter or for those willing to work a bit harder at rinsing and draining.
Toll Free:
877/777-6887
(877/SPROUTS) We only use the phone for emergencies. Back in 2001 we were still using the phone. One day I was talking to a long-time customer while pushing my (then 4 year old) daughter on the swing in our backyard (this is what a mom n' pop business is like on the internet). It dawned on me that my priorities were severely messed up, so I stopped using the phone. I love to talk and I love to help, but my family would never see me if I picked up the phone again, and that's just wrong don't you think?!
The very best way to contact us is through E-mail =:-) We are quite fast and VERY thorough. We love to help.
We have been an internet only business since 2001. We are not a big corporation. We are but 2 people, Mom n' Pop Sprout. We decided after years of juggling our family's (kids, dogs, cats and even our own) needs, and the needs of Sproutpeople, that we had to make more time for our kids, so we stopped talking on the phone. All calls go to voice mail and have since 2001.
We are very fast to fill orders and answer e-mail, and though we wish we could make the time to talk, we just can't seem to get more minutes into a each hour. We are many years older than when we started and our days are too short and made up of too few hours to do everything. This limitation in our business has not kept us from pleasing our customers, nor from growing (as we have every year since 1993). We do what we do as well as we can, and we think we do it very well indeed.
We appreciate your patronage more than we can say. We ask that you use the phone for emergencies only and that you search our site for answers before e-mailing us. This site is bigger than any 4 sprout books put together, it is always available and it is free, and we know that almost all questions are answered here.
Thanks again for your support and your many kind words.
