What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[erinszoo]

Wow. My birds go nuts for our sprouts which are about a third BOSS. I think they like the wheat and field peas better though.

 

[Angelicisi]

Clippings daily and other seasonals as they grow

Along this fence I toss extra seeds or plant extra peppers (always plant too many) and let them go wild everyday. Behind the coop blackberries are filling in- they go crazy for those too.

But lettuce uprooted whole is their fav I think. I just tossed seeds down and let them go.

 

[Arielle]

-I planted our gardens a bout days ago, and only the radishes have made a good start. THe onions sets too of course. But I really need to see some good growth.

Question for anyone--- I have sections of garden which is just wheelbarrel loads of composted horse manue w/ shavings, what can be direct planted into that?? There is no soil mixed in. None. Would love suggestions as to what would thrive.

 

[erinszoo]

We grew baseball bat size zucchini one year in composted horse manure. We lived at 5000 foot elevation that year.

 

[Angelicisi]

Any of the heavy feeders should do well...zucchini-yum! Squash families, melons, pumpkins....I laid out a dozen cantaloupe seeds on a "hot" compost pile of used chicken hay/riversilt/weeds/non-chicken scraps/coffee grounds & threw the excess soil in my starter cups and they love it so far. We'll see if they fruit!

-I planted our gardens a bout  days ago, and only the radishes have made a good start. THe onions sets too of course. But I really need to see some good growth. 

Question for anyone--- I have sections of garden which is just wheelbarrel loads of composted horse manue w/ shavings, what can be direct planted into that??  There is no soil mixed in. None.  Would love suggestions as to what would thrive.

We grew baseball bat size zucchini one year in composted horse manure. We lived at 5000 foot elevation that year.

 

[Arielle]

Of course they do!! DOh!! Now I am wondering if the squashes thrive in much a mix, would the other members of the 3 sisers also do well: the corn and the pole beans?

ONe of my goals is to grow upward-- use the space higher than the 2-3 feet closest to the soil. Of course not all this will be for the chickens.

 

[Angelicisi]

I know peas & beans dump nitrogen into the soil...I plant pea plants randomly around on off season just to feed the soil near cabbages and potatoes. I haven't tried them as a crop in compost yet. I do have some wax beans starts I could try while the cantaloupe is growing...I would LOVE to grow some corn there! I wonder?

Of course they do!! DOh!! Now I am wondering if the squashes thrive in much a mix, would the other members of the 3 sisers also do well: the corn and the pole beans? ONe of my goals is to grow upward-- use the space higher than the 2-3 feet closest to the soil. Of course not all this will be for the chickens.

 

[Arielle]

I know peas & beans dump nitrogen into the soil...I plant pea plants randomly around on off season just to feed the soil near cabbages and potatoes. I haven't tried them as a crop in compost yet. I do have some wax beans starts I could try while the cantaloupe is growing...I would LOVE to grow some corn there! I wonder?
Quote: Keep me updated if you try the corn.


I didn't know beans also fixed nitrogen, only thought it was peas. Is it all beans??

 

[Angelicisi]

Only green bean and wax beans tested high enough for me.

Keep me updated if you try the corn.


I didn't know beans also fixed nitrogen, only thought it was peas. Is it all beans??

 

[Arielle]

Only green bean and wax beans tested high enough for me.

Quote: so not dried beans?