Sprouted seed is an intricate part of the feeding routine in our aviaries.  Sprouted seed is highly nutritious and easily digested.  there are many different techniques in sprouting seed.  Here, I have described the methods used in our aviary.

Each morning I fill a quart jar (or pint jar depending on how much you need in a day)  I fill it ½ full of white millet seed.  I use white millet seed because it is cheaper but also because the slightly larger seed allows more air movement around the seed. More air movement means less bacterial and fungal growth. Using a single kind of seed rather than a mixture allows all the seed to germinate at about the same rate.  I cover the seed with warm water and then go out to feed my birds.  A half hour later, I rinse the seed well and refill the jar with water plus 0.5ml of Aviclens. (used to inhibit bacterial growth)  I rinse the seed again that night and again the next morning.

The second day after the morning rinse, I drain off all the water and lay the jar on its side to maximize air circulation around the seed. I then rinse the seed thoroughly each morning and night until small roots just begin to emerge from the seed.  It is at this point that the seed has the most nutritional value. The roots usually appear the second or third night depending on the weather. I use a jar each day and start a new jar each day so I usually have 2-3 jars of seed sprouting on the window sill at any given time.

I use a vegetable sprayer that comes standard on many kitchen sinks to vigorously rinse the seed all the way to the bottom of the jar.  You could also dump the seed into a colander to rinse.  The object it to rinse the seed very well until the water runs clear.

I add the small amount of aviclens after the first half hour soak the first day because it helps inhibit bacterial growth.   Bacteria and fungus release toxins when they multiply that can not be rinsed away but are absorbed into the seed.  By using the aviclens in the first long soak, I  prevent or minimize the toxins formed. 

When my seed has just started to sprout, I mix it with a teaspoon of powdered bird vitamins and a teaspoon of crushed cuttlebone before serving.  If I am feeding the seed to birds feeding chicks or juvenile goulds who need extra protein to speed the adult molt, I also add 1 tsp. of my Pro-Min powder and a grated hard boiled egg. Any leftover mixture is stored in the refrigerator until the next feeding. 

Finches love sprouted seed and I have had no problems with bacterial or fungal infections in my birds since I started preparing their seed in this way.  I have also seen an increase in chick survival and faster molting into adult feather.  To me, this is allot of benefit for a routine that takes about 5 minutes a day.