Feeding your chickens from your garden

[jesubis]

I give my girls a 5-gallon bucket full of weeds (mostly dandelions, and some mint since we have a mint infestation) every morning after I let them out and top off their waterers. They absolutely love it and it helps to keep feed costs down! That organic layer feed isn't cheap, even when we buy it in 50-lb bags from Costco. They also get kitchen scraps when we have them. I'm planning on planting some extra chard for them wherever I have room in the garden; that's another favorite of theirs. There is a big bare spot next to their pen that I scattered a bunch of extra seeds on - mostly bok choy, spinach, and some varieties of various things that didn't grow well last year. Better than throwing the seeds out, and more free chicken feed!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Good idea with the scattering of extra seeds nest to the run. I have some space on the south side of the run and think I may just go do that this evening.
Mine love radish tops and lol cabbage (prior post about demolishing 8 heads in 2 hours).
Mine however do NOT like lettuces.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I've actually picked 5 gallon buckets of weeds from my parents garden to bring home to the girls....my dad says I can have all the weeds I want to pull!

 

[21hens-incharge]

LOL now that is funny. He gets free weeding done and your girls get some greens and hopefully YOU get some eggs.

 

[Missbehaven]

I always grow extra squash they love eating them and the cherry tomatoes are against the gardens fence. The days I let them out its a race to the tomatoes.