Chickens and compost

[Spunky1]

I'm really impressed, clever chickens!
it's winter in my part of the world and I don't plant winter veg so I opened up a small veggie bed that's usually fenced off to let the chickens in. But now they're having such fun in it I don't really want to plant anything in there in summer and have to close it again :-D

 

[mhay1]

Is there any scrapes that should be avoided to throw in the run besides dairy, grease and moldy foods? Can they have flowering herbs like dill, basil etc from the garden?

 

[jacksun]

Yes on the herbs or any plant matter, if its to moldy they won't eat it . Chickens love meat scraps. I even give mine some dry cat food once in a while for a treat.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

We put all our compstable items in the garden. These get covered each week with lawn clippings. During summer, when the garden is in, its just a mish mash of materials. It's purpose is to keep down the weeds, and it does a great job.

Once the garden is harvested for the last time and the gate is left open for the chickens, then the girls go to work. They will work the garden everyday all winter long, by spring planting, the garden is in great shape and ready to produce.

 

[lazy gardener]

The biggest reason I got chickens was for their benefit to the garden. They have access to the garden during off season. The last 2 years have been difficult for me b/c of heavy hawk predation. Several times/week, when I'm out working, a hawk will fly over my head, seems to be taunting me! Today, he was screeching and circling non stop. I had to build a covered run, and am working up a deep litter in there. So, any compostable material gets assessed re: where it will provide the most benefit. I toss chicken bones/scraps into the run, grass clippings get divided between run, grow out pen, and garden. Currently tossing dog poo into the woods around the garden, hoping it will deter coons and their other evil friends.

 

[Cryss]

I have had a garden several years, chickens only 3 months. Last spring I spread cedar chips on my garden pathways to keep down weeds. Now with chickens I'd love to let them into the garden a bit during off season. I understand cedar is bad for chicken respiratry systems. Is that true in open areas as opposed to closed in coop areas? Should I not let then in until next year after removing all several hundred dollars worth of cedar chips?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since the chips have been there now a good 9 months or so, they shouldn't be that aromatic anymore so I wouldn't stress too much about it. I'm surrounded by cedar trees, with a cedar coop, garden beds, and of course some cedar mixed into my wood chips, it's impossible to get away from it completely.