Sprouted seeds are an excellent source of nutrition for pet birds and an excellent way to supplement with greens, especially if your birds are on pelleted diet. Sprouts are actually Life Food. Freshly sprouted seeds are a nutritional gold mine, as the seed mobilizes its nutritional content into a highly digestible and available form as it starts to grow. Sprouted seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals as well as enzymes and antioxidants, and some consider them to be natures most perfect food. In any case, they are an excellent way to provide a nutritional boost and most birds love them. I mostly sprout Lentils and Chick Peas, you can find those in your local grocery store. Do not buy "Split" Lentils tho, you need whole.
You can sprout at home, here is how:
1. Put your seeds or legumes in a plastic container or a glass jar, do not fill more then 1/3 of the way. Fill the jar with cool water to 2/3. Your seeds will expand over night.
2. Leave your seeds submerged like this for 24 hrs.
3. Dump all the water out and rinse the seeds.
4. Leave the seeds to sit (sprout) for a day or 2, but keep them moist, simply rinse them maybe 3 times a day. I always let them sit in the water for about 5 minutes every time I rinse them, so they are nice and juicy :)
5. Serve to your birdie and eat some on the way.
6. Don't forget to make extra for your self ;-)
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