Chickens ate all the garden plants/cover crop

[pintail_drake2004]

Well, we always plant a cover crop/fall & winter forage for our chickens and rabbits. It typically includes a mixture of winter wheat or rye, turnips, beets, rape, kale, sometimes clover and more. We alternate what/where we plant in the garden, and often have thick lush green mats the animals use. The chickens are allowed to free range into this ~7000 sqft garden to help reduce feed cost. The rabbits get a handful of whatever we pull/clip a few times a week. The added bonus is we get to use a lot of what's grown for ourselves too. However, this is the 1st year our chickens and ducks have nearly decimated the entire plot! All that's left are a few little green sprigs on top of the turnips and a stray kale leaf or two. Though I'm thankful our birds have utilized our plot, I'm a bit concerned as they are still being their regular daily ration of commercial 16% layers feed (Not TSC). I'm starting to think they may be lacking something.

 

[azygous]

They probably have larger appetites this year due to too many cold spells. You would have better luck rotating sections so they can recover and get estabished before the hungry hoards descend.

 

[FunClucks]

Do you have a feed mill animal feed mill around you somewhere typically their feed for chickens is higher protein they usually range somewhere in the 18 to 20% but the crap that you get in the Big Chain stores gives lower protein amounts

Gonna partially disagree with you here - Yes, a lot of the big chain stores carry a number of brands/varieties of 16% protein commercial chicken feed, but some of them also have higher protein chicken feed available if you look for it. It comes with a slightly higher price tag, and depending on the demand by consumers higher protein feeds may or may not be available in your area.

There are 18% and 20% feeds available in my area, and then you get into the meat bird feeds (22%) and game bird feeds (30%).

Not trying to diss feed mills either - If you can find a feed mill that produces an 18-20% feed for chickens, go for it!

 

[K0k0shka]

Do you have a feed mill animal feed mill around you somewhere typically their feed for chickens is higher protein they usually range somewhere in the 18 to 20% but the crap that you get in the Big Chain stores gives lower protein amounts

I feed Purina Flock Raiser, which is 20% protein, and is not crap.

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

Lower grade how? A lot of science goes into those big brands to make sure their feeds are efficient at accomplishing the job. And I mean reliable big brands, not just any old feed. Purina has established itself as reliable. Just because somebody's uncle ground it up at the local mill, doesn't automatically make it superior. Not that local mills are necessarily bad, but they are not better by assumption either.

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

Well, we always plant a cover crop/fall & winter forage for our chickens and rabbits. It typically includes a mixture of winter wheat or rye, turnips, beets, rape, kale, sometimes clover and more. We alternate what/where we plant in the garden, and often have thick lush green mats the animals use. The chickens are allowed to free range into this ~7000 sqft garden to help reduce feed cost. The rabbits get a handful of whatever we pull/clip a few times a week. The added bonus is we get to use a lot of what's grown for ourselves too. However, this is the 1st year our chickens and ducks have nearly decimated the entire plot! All that's left are a few little green sprigs on top of the turnips and a stray kale leaf or two. Though I'm thankful our birds have utilized our plot, I'm a bit concerned as they are still being their regular daily ration of commercial 16% layers feed (Not TSC). I'm starting to think they may be lacking something.

I agree with your conclusion ...plus... technically chicken should have 20 to 22% protein. do you give your girls mealworms?

 

[nuthatched]

Well there's always walnuts I feed those to my chickens too and my chickens are happy

Those are great treats, but shouldn't be given on a regular basis. Fat gathers around the internal organs like the heart and kidneyd and eventually causes failure.

 

[MagistraTn]

I planted over a hundred garlic in the fall. A couple of weeks ago, chipdrop ran over my big beds and a couple of days ago, chooks decimated the rest. I figure they must have needed it and will trust God to give us what we need.

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

I understand. yogurt, fish salt free meat, or simply a better feed are better protein sources without adding too much fat.

I feed yogurt to my chickens too

 

[K0k0shka]

Okay I apologize everyone for using the word crap lower grade is what I probably should have said

Lower grade how? A lot of science goes into those big brands to make sure their feeds are efficient at accomplishing the job. And I mean reliable big brands, not just any old feed. Purina has established itself as reliable. Just because somebody's uncle ground it up at the local mill, doesn't automatically make it superior. Not that local mills are necessarily bad, but they are not better by assumption either.