I have wire edging that I covered with chicken wire that is about 8 inches tall and 6 inches wide and about 7 feet long. I live in an area where I am unable to let my two chickens free range so I am wanting to be able to provide them something green in the cage that they can eat as it grows. I have the cage set up where they will not be able to uproot the plants but I'm still trying to figure out what plants would be best to grow. I bought some buckwheat seeds and some cream peas that the nursery recommended. Do you all think these will be good choices? I live in Central Texas and our temps are already close to 100 degrees. If anyone knows if these are good choices or if there is something else you all could recommend I would really appreciate the suggestions.
I am planning on growing several large patches of buckwheat this year. I've already bought the seed (a 50lb bag....yikes!) I'll try to harvest some seed, but I'll use most of the patches to rotate my chicken tractor. I expanded my garden this year and just recently rototilled lots of sod. The buckwheat will help choke out the grass and keep it from coming back, followed by chickens who will devour every hint of plant life within the chicken tractor, and then 'burn' the ground with their manure. Once done I'll till it up again and hopefully have a grass-free garden bed next year.....plus I've provided the chicks with a great food source. It just has to get a little (okay, a lot) warmer in Ohio before I can plant buckwheat.
What about buckwheat as a grain supliment to store layer mix? I may have a line on cheap buckwheat and figured "why not?" Just wondered how healthy it is and how well they'd like it.
I would say tons of white clover, and wheat, rye, and oats. Also would get a comercial wild bird seed mix and plant a few cups of that. if you are using a raised bed with chicken wire on the top, all these plants can grow tall enough and some may reach seed size, thus extending the health benefit.
