Bamboo leaves as food....

[VictoriaTemple]

I know I read that chickens will strip/take down of full sized banana plant. While I haven’t seen them to do that (yet!) they did totally consume 4 cavendish baby plants I planted in their run. I didn’t expect that so hadn’t thought to fence them off. Lesson learned. I planted larger babies of an Asian variety next and the girls left them alone - until new shoots started. They eat the new levels plenty but as the parent is well established it’s not an issue. It just keeps putting out new babies. I really like the overhead shelter and shade the banana stand is giving them.

also, on the plant topic - the hens love fire bush too. They will strip a plant of leaves within a day. And the berries in the late fall off the fire bush is yummy for them too. I’ve planted several in their run. Cheap too as any stick broken off the plant will root very quickly so only need to buy one plant for a few bucks and make as many as you want.

I second the fire bush vote! My feather babies love it any time it has leaves on it. My woods is full of it (it’s HIGHLY invasive).

 

[808chickie]

also, on the plant topic - the hens love fire bush too. They will strip a plant of leaves within a day. And the berries in the late fall off the fire bush is yummy for them too. I’ve planted several in their run. Cheap too as any stick broken off the plant will root very quickly so only need to buy one plant for a few bucks and make as many as you want.[/QUOTE]

We don't have any fire bush but, pretty much anything that goes in there gets destroyed. We put in a ornamental ginger plant that we thought they would leave alone but, they ate it up. I have pottted rosemary, lavendar, chives, etc that I will put in their run just long enough for them to eat it up, then I take it out. The only thing that survives is a bay leaf that they won't touch. We were thinking of growing a papaya tree in there since they love papayas so much.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

Just ordered two beautiful Heirloom roses for my run fence. I’m planting them on the OUTSIDE of the fence, AND blocking off the area on the chickens’ side with a 4’ puppy fence. Hopefully I can get some grass seed planted in the fenced area, and in 2 or 3 years, the grass and roses might be able to withstand my feathered lawn mowers. If the roses can’t handle the pecking after 3 years’ growth, I’ll just use that area for a chick pen.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Awesome. Live in sugar cane central. When they burn it we get ash everywhere. Another reason to not love that time of year.

I was driving through FL back country once and came across a sugar mill. The smell was the worst thing I had ever smelled. I broke out laughing because I never imagined anything could smell so bad.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

I was driving through FL back country once and came across a sugar mill. The smell was the worst thing I had ever smelled. I broke out laughing because I never imagined anything smelling so bad.

And yet we love sugar so much. Maybe we’re not supposed to burn it. Maybe God’s trying to tell us about a new use for it we don’t know about. Livestock feed? Paper? Non-combustion fuel source?

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

In Hawai'i, we call it black snow. I used to hate the smell and the mess but, I kind of miss it now. Hated it when it fell on our laundry. As soon as we smelled it, we had to run outside to take all the laundry off the line.

Reading through complaints by locals who have to put up with that. Sounds pretty awful

https://mauitime.com/culture/complaints-sugar-cane-burns-flooding-county-maui-epa-change/

 

[ErnieBerley]

Ernie, I've been researching edible bamboo varieties. I noticed some vendors sell bamboo seeds. Then I read the reviews, and people complain that bamboo seeds don't germinate easily, and bamboo plants actually rarely produce seeds. My question is this - do you notice your jungle of bamboo ever producing seeds?

hmm..... never have seen seed!

 

[ErnieBerley]

How does everyone feed their chickens bamboo leaves? Leave the leaves on the stalk? Strip off the leaves? Chop leaves into pieces? I cut off some branches and threw them on the ground, but the chickens, though interested, couldn't pull off the leaves because the branch would move every time they pecked at it.

I have just cut branches and they will peck at the leaves and i have also taken the fresh leaves and ground in a food processor and added to their existing foods

 

[ErnieBerley]

Rice husks/straw.

bamboo has a LOT of possibilities in the food industry, and in the dietary supplement industry (from medicinal to pharmaceutical aids like flowing agents)

 

[ErnieBerley]

I'm in Hawai'i too! How do you do your KNF? I've been looking into it but, I'm not sure where to start. thx!

great information thanks !!!