- Mar 18, 2011
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Hi! I'm fairly new here and been lurking through old threads. Some serious knowledge here!
So...I've got a question for you folks.
I've got a mixed flock of chickens (mostly Buckeyes but I'm also getting some Freedom Rangers), turkeys (White Hollands), mixed variety of ducks and a few geese (American Buff). My birds are all locked up together at night in a large coop (well, except the turkeys, who roost on it) and then let out during the day to free range at will.
I'm very interested in feeding locally grown, organic feeds. Why? Well because I'm a vegetable farmer myself and I can grow some things (within reason) and my neighbors can grow lots more. I want to support my local farmers plus I can buy feed WAY cheaper from them in bulk. I have access to a few different feed things (I'll start a different thread about that) but I'm very curious about legumes as I raise a fair amount of them myself and often have "rejects" from my crop that I could use for my birds.
I have read, of course, that legumes can be tricky for birds. So here's what I have access to and curious what you folks think about them. Can I use the following items if I either sprout or cook them? Also I have a hammer mill so I could mill things as well.
#1 - Fava Beans - these are the small seeded (cover crop) type not the huge shelling/broad bean type. One year I threshed these and the birds went crazy eating them wherever they were dropped. Bad, now I hear. Although after that year when I have offered them they won't eat them. Another year when they were planted by the coop, the birds were obsessed with pulling up the young plants as they just started to emerge (sprouts!). Especially the ducks.
#2 - Dry Beans. I grow a lot of dry beans for local human consumption. I always have a fair amount of rejects. They are often "split" beans so I couldn't sprout those. But can I cook them and feed them? If so, how cooked. Boiled? Roasted?
#3 - Peas. These seem less problematic for the birds from what I've read. However...when I've offered them whole the birds didn't seem to excited about them. Mill them?
Thanks! Like I said, I'll start another thread soon on the other things I have access to (grains and what not) for my feed. Curious to see what ideas people have about the beans however.
So...I've got a question for you folks.
I've got a mixed flock of chickens (mostly Buckeyes but I'm also getting some Freedom Rangers), turkeys (White Hollands), mixed variety of ducks and a few geese (American Buff). My birds are all locked up together at night in a large coop (well, except the turkeys, who roost on it) and then let out during the day to free range at will.
I'm very interested in feeding locally grown, organic feeds. Why? Well because I'm a vegetable farmer myself and I can grow some things (within reason) and my neighbors can grow lots more. I want to support my local farmers plus I can buy feed WAY cheaper from them in bulk. I have access to a few different feed things (I'll start a different thread about that) but I'm very curious about legumes as I raise a fair amount of them myself and often have "rejects" from my crop that I could use for my birds.
I have read, of course, that legumes can be tricky for birds. So here's what I have access to and curious what you folks think about them. Can I use the following items if I either sprout or cook them? Also I have a hammer mill so I could mill things as well.
#1 - Fava Beans - these are the small seeded (cover crop) type not the huge shelling/broad bean type. One year I threshed these and the birds went crazy eating them wherever they were dropped. Bad, now I hear. Although after that year when I have offered them they won't eat them. Another year when they were planted by the coop, the birds were obsessed with pulling up the young plants as they just started to emerge (sprouts!). Especially the ducks.
#2 - Dry Beans. I grow a lot of dry beans for local human consumption. I always have a fair amount of rejects. They are often "split" beans so I couldn't sprout those. But can I cook them and feed them? If so, how cooked. Boiled? Roasted?
#3 - Peas. These seem less problematic for the birds from what I've read. However...when I've offered them whole the birds didn't seem to excited about them. Mill them?
Thanks! Like I said, I'll start another thread soon on the other things I have access to (grains and what not) for my feed. Curious to see what ideas people have about the beans however.