Anyone Plant a Chicken Garden?

[WestfarthingHomestead]

We're thinking of planting a garden of corn and sunflowers to dry to suppliment the winter chicken feed supply. Does anyone else do this? My husband loves gardening.

 

[OwensMom]

Last year I planted a garden for the chickens. They love squash and pumpkins for the winter. Most herbs they will eat as well as lettuce, kale and swiss chard. The garden was a big hit and made an impact on the feed bill. You still have to supply them with layer pellets and oyster shell though. Happy gardening

 

[BellevueOmlet]

Yes, I have a garden just for the chickens. They are sad that I don't let them in it to eat freely. I would love to but then there would be no chicken garden, there would be another set of chicken dug holes

 

[Wildflower_VA]

I always grow an organic garden, but this year I planted at least triple what I can eat, can and freeze for myself. Right now they are loving tomatoes and squash/zucchini. Back in the spring, I didn't eat much of my spinach and other greens at all because the chicks loved them so much. They really enjoyed beet tops and the skins off cooked beets. That was their favorite until the tomatoes started to come in. Soon I will start getting sweet corn and my watermelons and cantaloupes will be getting ripe, so I know the chickens will get as many of those as I will. I want to have the dark colored yolks all year long, so I planted a huge pumpkin and winter squash patch. I have a great root cellar to store them in. I have thoroughly enjoyed gardening for my chickens--it's fun and I know they are getting nutritious food which in turn will produce tastier and more nutritious eggs.

 

[oherin]

I grew corn, sunflowers, and millet for them. However, they are sharing in the abundance of chard and tomatoes. My plan is to turn them loose in the garden once things start to putter out. I am hoping to do a fall / winter garden as well, so they will enjoy the bounty most of the year.

 

[chickyboomboom]

I have a fenced run so I planted a topsy turvy garden for them. The herb and tomato ones were on sale at my home depot for 4 bucks so I got 3 of them and they hang from the fence. I planted tomatoes cucumbers, squash, mint and basil. I figure that they can get what they can reach once it grows long enough and some vineage will grow on the fence for additional shade and greenery. Hopefully it works out! Wish I could put sunflowers in the Topsy Turvy!