Delawares from kathyinmo

[Beekissed]

Yep...I have pics and video of them foraging their fool heads off. It was one of those vids that inspired Aoxa to do the same, with great results. There is a lot of propaganda out there against the CX bird due to people following the hatchery guidelines for feeding and care of these meat birds, resulting in poor health, decreased mobility and high mortality. What folks fail to realize is that those guidelines are for commercial operations~who generally don't care how many die or become crippled because they can absorb the loss and they are trying to make food as quickly as possible, regardless of the welfare of the animal.

When raised with some common sense these birds are active, hard working and a sweet bird to have around and you can raise them for a longer, slower grow out without any fears of health issues.

 

[speckledhen]

Wish I had pasture, but all I have are woods. Could be I'll have more pasture-like areas now that we have cleared out some trees and opened it up. Thanks for the pics, Bee.

 

[Beekissed]

Wish I had pasture, but all I have are woods. Could be I'll have more pasture-like areas now that we have cleared out some trees and opened it up. Thanks for the pics, Bee.

They LOVE the woods! That's where all the bugs are. Most of their foraging took place on the rim of the woods and meadow, in the leaf litter there. And it's shady there so they get multiple benefits from foraging in the wood line.

 

[speckledhen]

I admit the problem with me having CornishX is becoming attached to them just like I get with most every chicken I own. I only cull the mean roosters, LOL. I still would like some pasture that my birds could mow for me.

 

[finnfur]

bee - I notice those birds are working the clover patches heavy - We plant lots of clover for deer also . Great stuff

 

[Beekissed]

bee - I notice those birds are working the clover patches heavy - We plant lots of clover for deer also . Great stuff

High in protein and digestibility for chickens and it attracts bees to our garden, so it's a win/win. We'll be overseeding/frost seeding more of the WDC this season also....we didn't do that meadow this past year and I could see the native grasses taking the clover over a good bit so I'll be trying to get more clover this season with the seeding.

Every time some yahoo posts that chickens don't actually eat grasses and that meat chickens won't forage, I whip out these pics...nothing like pics for proof on this issue. Every morning and evening as the sugars in the grasses rise and fall with the time of day, you will find my meaties mowing those clover patches....and my layers also. These pics below show them gleaning the clover that I've seeded over the garden rows after the harvest and the garden has been put to bed for the fall.

 

[speckledhen]

The one year we overseeded our garden with clover, the chickens went nuts. They love clover and really, so do I. And the crazies in suburban and city subdivisions are killing it with poisons. Good grief.

 

[finnfur]

The one year we overseeded our garden with clover, the chickens went nuts. They love clover and really, so do I. And the crazies in suburban and city subdivisions are killing it with poisons. Good grief.

Clover actually makes nitrogen in the soil - I rotate wildlife plots and after about 3 years the weeds take over because of the high nitrogen. At that point I rotate to bean / corn / grain and no fertilizer is needed. Clover has taken toll this year as we started with fall dry spell when it usually grows well. Then it got hammered this winter with freeze , rain ice and snow it just didn't have a chance to grow. Every food plot I have is not more than 1/4" high even the
winter wheat . There was a poor acorn crop this year so I guess deer are making it on twigs etc. nothing left in the food plots.
Time to frost seed the clover.

 

[speckledhen]

The deer have decimated my rhododendron and azaleas this winter. I try not to be too angry because it's been a hard winter for them as well as me.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Clover actually makes nitrogen in the soil - I rotate wildlife plots and after about 3 years the weeds take over because of the high nitrogen. At that point I rotate to bean / corn / grain and no fertilizer is needed. Clover has taken toll this year as we started with fall dry spell when it usually grows well. Then it got hammered this winter with freeze , rain ice and snow it just didn't have a chance to grow. Every food plot I have is not more than 1/4" high even the
winter wheat . There was a poor acorn crop this year so I guess deer are making it on twigs etc. nothing left in the food plots.
Time to frost seed the clover.

Good information about the timing of the rotations!