Growing garden veggies for my flock

[Werforpsu]

Hi all. I am new to this. My chicks are about 1 week, 3 weeks, and 7 weeks. So, my hens will start laying in August/Sept.

I am planting my vegetable garden in the next few weeks. Is there anything that I can plant specifically for my chickens? I know that I can give them treats from most veggies and fruits, but I am specifically looking for things that are good for them and something they can eat in addition to their feed (possibly something that would reduce the amount of feed needed).

Thanks for the help!

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[OrganicFarmWife]

I plant pumpkins for my chickens over winter. It is great. I use a few for Halloween keep the rest on my porch for Thanksgiving and slowly dole them out for the birds over winter. I just break it up and let them enjoy about once a week or every other week.
I also grow garlic for us and the chickens.

 

[Werforpsu]

Pumpkins are a great idea. I have so many seeds that I save....more then we could ever use and can start some now.

 

[Cacique500]

Mine enjoy Kale, cherry tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, etc. If they see me walking towards the garden they're right there waiting for a treat to come over the netting!

 

[Zamanthia]

Ours like kale, parsley, and their favorite is turnip greens. There is also a forage blend that you can grow just for them... just Google chicken forage

 

[Mini Meat]

I've been thinking about Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash. All easy to grow and prolific.

 

[Werforpsu]

Yesterday we bought any plants that I didn't start from seed.

For the chickens, I ended up buying 8 kale plants (which I will start from seed next year if they like it) and a packet of turnip seeds.

From seed I am planning on growing extra cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, butternut squash, cabbage and pumpkins. That will be accompanied by any extra or imperfect tomatoes, lettuce that bolts, green beans, carrot greens, watermelon rind, cantaloupe rind, honey dew rind, brussel sprouts that don't get eaten etc.

Are they allowed to have apples, pears, plums, or sour cherries? We have trees of all of these but sometimes it is impossible to get to all of the preserving of every fruit and veggie.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Yesterday we bought any plants that I didn't start from seed.

For the chickens, I ended up buying 8 kale plants (which I will start from seed next year if they like it) and a packet of turnip seeds.

From seed I am planning on growing extra cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, butternut squash, cabbage and pumpkins.  That will be accompanied by any extra or imperfect tomatoes, lettuce that bolts, green beans, carrot greens, watermelon rind, cantaloupe rind, honey dew rind, brussel sprouts that don't get eaten etc. 

Are they allowed to have apples, pears, plums, or sour cherries?  We have trees of all of these but sometimes it is impossible to get to all of the preserving of every fruit and veggie.

I give mine apples. As far as I know (and I will admit I am no expert) they can eat all those fruits. I have heard avocados are a big no no, and peas are iffy. From what I have gathered through a little research green, young peas (such as sweet peas) are fine. But you cannot keep peas and let them dry and feed those to your chickens. Oh and I have heard potatoe peels are bad for chickens...I do not know that I believe that one though.

 

[Werforpsu]

I give mine apples. As far as I know (and I will admit I am no expert) they can eat all those fruits. I have heard avocados are a big no no, and peas are iffy. From what I have gathered through a little research green, young peas (such as sweet peas) are fine. But you cannot keep peas and let them dry and feed those to your chickens. Oh and I have heard potatoe peels are bad for chickens...I do not know that I believe that one though.

I've heard the avacados before and I wouldn't have anything but fresh snow peas.
I think the potatoes seems to be mostly about any peals with green in it. The green is toxic and I know if I feed my family potatoes with green, I cut it off. Perhaps the caution is so people don't unknowingly give them the green part like any other kitchen scraps.