Black Sunflower Seeds (I know, I know - I have searched!)

Ravenwood

Ravenwood

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 November 2005
Messages
11,196
Location
Devon
Visit site
Sorry to drag this old chestnut up again!

I have done a search on this site to try and find all the numerous posts that have covered this topic!

I understand they are good for coat and hooves (my mare has rubbish hooves, she is ID x TB but obviously inherited the TB feet!)

Question to those who feed them - where do you buy them, what size sack do they come in and how much is a sack?

Many thanks
 
I get mine from the local feed merchants, you'll be surprised how many of them stock them. As with a lot of things, price has shot up over the last year or so, and i'm now paying about £20 for a 20 kilo sack. It's been a while since i bought some so can't remember the exact price! My tb's feet have been much better since feeding them.
 
I got them from the feed merchants but they usually sell them for birds. If you get them make sure they do not have any coatings on them(ie vit/min type things)! The other thing to remember is that they are generally not the same grade as stuff you normally buy from the horse, ie there are often random bits of other things in there (maize, sticks etc!!) think they were about £27 for 20kg if that helps?! Buy a small bag first as 2 of mine wouldn't touch them - just make sure you don't buy the stripey ones, they are not the same!!

I tried them after so many people raving about them (mainly "barefooters") as i wanted to increase the oil content of one of my eventers diets but he won't eat straight oil - have to admit they were an utter waste of time, the only thing that i got from them was a family of jackdaws moving in to the stables and scattering his droppings everywhere as they were still in there! He was already on a well balanced diet and on Top spec balancer. (which made a big difference to his crappy TB feet) so i guess it depends on what you are feeding already!

However I started feeding baileys outshine supplement instead - only a cup a day so lasts ages - and it has worked perfectly. A good vit and min supplement and maybe taking his shoes off for a few weeks to let the nail holes grow out may be an alternative move.
 
I have fed them to mine for about 18 months following Tia's thread.

They give a very good shine to the coat, and darken it. Feet - mine are barefoot and so tough that my farrier has to make sure his trimmer are really sharp and he says they really make him work hard to get through them.

Idiot Chancer yesterday got loose and proceeded to gallop up and down the concrete track for a good 5 minutes - not so much as a chip out of his feet, though I don't recommend testing them that way
crazy.gif


I get mine from the feed merchant in large sacks - normally found in the bird section. Mine are 17 hand clydesdale and 15.1 cob and they each get a small coffee mug twice a day - just chucked in the feed.

They are also a very good source of oil, protein and minerals so compliment the Simple Systems feed I use.
 
I used them for a year, but didnt notice a lot of difference to be honest
frown.gif


Nice and shiney, but then he always is
blush.gif
and his feet are not bad anyway, but it made them no better..... one of those things that you need to try for months to see a difference too..... for feet that is
frown.gif
 
ive started to feed them to mine-two have nice coats and hooves already but one has cracked chipped feet
only been feeding it for a month so not expecting to see benefits yet.although they certainly are all full of energy!!!
i feed one small scoop twice a day(probably about a mug)
i get mine from bird feed section-its 20kg sack and costs £15.
 
I tried them for quite a while but saw no more benefits to them than the linseed / seaweed I was previously feeding, and the darn birds scattered his poos all over the place so it took me 3 x as long to poo pick! Once I realised this was the reason I fst went back to my original feeding method!!
 
About £8 for 15kg, from a seed supplier. Feed a cup a day. Pony looked fab, coat was very very good.

Fed alongside TopSpec and chaff. I think it helped her stamina out hunting as they are high in oil.
 
Ive had no problems with feeding them to mine mare
smile.gif


Her feet have improved dramatically and her coat is really really shiny now and she's holding her weight better too.

I buy mine from Countrywide and a normal size sack lasts over a month
grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top