Any suggestions or advice for growing a chicken garden?

[U_Stormcrow]

Do you know your USDA Growing zone?

California's actual Coast ranges from 10b (essentially never freezes) to 8a - a couple lows in hte 10-15* range, with some inland areas getting colder still.

Also, how much space are you devoting to this project, and how do you plan to maintain it (hand tools, power tools, heavy equipment?)

I can alreasdy tell you that the vast majority of the CA coast is too warm for cold season grasses to do well and seasonally too wet for some of the prairie grasses and near grains (unfortunate, they can be attractive).

So my first thoughts, based on a number of assumptions (not a lot of space, hand tools) is that you will get the most "bang for your buck" with legumes like various clovers, white-flowered peas, herbs like methi (fenugreek), flowers like marigold, golden poppy, coneflower, coreopsis, indian blanket - all good insect attractors. and if the space is very small, in order to keep options available and reduce the damage done to your grounds, swapping out "sprouting trays" and planters which you raise out of the chicken's reach might be the best (if also most labor intensive) option still.

If you have more space, and the right rainfall, you could consider adding seasonal height in the form of sorrels, sorghum, even quinoa - which can then provide some vertical support for climbing plants. In fall, that's your squish - pumpkins, winter squash, etc. If you get very hot, watermelons and cucumber are both spring options.

Goal is two-fold.

ONE) Provide options - you don't want all grasses, all grains, all legumes or all pulses. You are trying to create nutritional diversity which is less susceptible to mishap (disease, weather, etc), attracts the widest variety of bugs, and produces thorough the growing season.

TWO) provide high value/high expense nutrition. Corn is easy. Its also cheap, and not particularly nutritionally valuable. You don't weant to invest your time and money producing a backyard cornfield for your birds which is not attractive most of the year, not particularly valuable nutritionally, and can be purchasaed in bulk for less than the value of your labor tearing up the ground for planting...


My thoughts only, hope they help.

 

[LaceyJune]

Hello U_Stormcrow, I checked and the latest USDA hardiness levels from 2023 had results of 10a (25* F to 30* F). As far as space goes, there's not an exact measurement, but, I was thinking of planting in concrete blocks for around the coop. As well as some terracotta pots (not paint just original terracotta) too. So, I'm thinking of picking and choosing herbs and overall different health beneficial plants to turn to for my chickens as natural remedies for all major health factors of the chicken.

 

[LaceyJune]

So, I will be only using hand tools as for mildly gardening my plants for landscape around my chicken coop. For my reason I don't want to plant directly in the ground is because my backyard is made up of sand, so the only real option is to turn to pots, especially since out of the chicken coop is off limits, giving them no chance to reach the garden. Although, in my case, pots are a better resolution for where I am, since my backyard is very dry, but also gives a good look to the outside of my coop giving me best of both worlds.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That's 9b, but close enough. I'm 8a w/ "warm" summers, all the recommends I made above will work for you. Most of those are also well suited for small containers. Only problem with blocks is that they are porous - far more than teracotta - and can dry soils out quickly. If you get constant rainfall, great. We have a dry season, they don't work for me.

You can use them, just be aware you will have to water more often.

Mint won't work for you - needs too much space. Same w/ thyme - but both are low value greens which don't attract a lot of insects. Don't try sunflower, needs too much space to container garden except in a very large pot, only produces once (and not much at that). You might be able to get quinoa to grow in a medium pot, I've really struggled with mine. Sorghum (and sudangrass, closely related) will crack concrete blocks - crazy root structure.

Methi and the clovers will be very good choices.

there's something else I can recommend, if I can find it again. Its name is escaping me at the moment.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

oh, and you can try chufa in a larger pot. Its a bunchgrass looking thing above ground, amkes a highly nutritious "seed" below (technically, I think its a sedgegrass?) Anyhow, wild turkey love them and my chickens ate them all up before they got a chance to sprout... so they recommend.

That's STILL not the plant Im thinking of

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Poverty rush. Its a decent bug attractor, the chickens will snap the (tiny) seeds off the top. Prefers wet (or at least damp) acidic clay soils - so likely won't work for you - but if you have a low spot in the yard and its already growing, don't rip it out.

 

[LaceyJune]

Ok, thank you so much for the ideas!
I will definitely look into your options and do some further research in others varieties as well, and update tye following of what I have found.

 

[Bawkbok]

Sweet potato vine, tomato, broccoli, kale, cucumber, lettuce, and Swiss chard. The birds like all of these and when the season is over we open up the gate and let the birds have at it.

yes, this is a good list and I would add to it spinach and herbs such as lemon grass, thyme, basil, parsley, dill, mint and lavender.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

yes, this is a good list and I would add to it spinach and herbs such as lemon grass, thyme, basil, parsley, dill, mint and lavender.

I have lemon grass - have to protect it from frost the poster won't suffer. The birds won't touch it, and it doesn't seem to attract much in the way of insects. But if you use it in cooking, why not?

Actually, other than the lavender, I have (or had) all those things. Dill doesn't over winter, and basil is also an annual. Birds ignore almost all of it, all the time. Sometimes will incidentally eat a leaf while going after a bug. They did make a dust bath in my oregano, however - the small patch (about 15 sq ft. it is a weed!)

 

[LaceyJune]

Yes, I will definitely plant lavender as one of a few plants/herbs I want for calming resources for nesting boxes, as well to even to hang since lavender smell nice for my coop space. But like Bawkbok stated, I'm aiming for more herbs for natural healing and health for different aspects of my chickens. Assentually using these sources of herbs as a medical aid to turn to, I also want to leave my chickens having a wonderful treat benefiting themselves with for free of choice offerings.