Building a chicken Garden Newbie needs advice

[GhostRider65]

I have a medium sized garden every year for our needs, so I don't have much extra room for chicken things in the spot I'm in.
So I decided I would plant a garden just for the chickens in the area that will be fenced for there free range area. I ordered chicweed, cilantro, german chamomile,swiss chard, sorgum, amaranth, nasturtiums, mangle beets, cabbage, assorted greens, foxtail millet, leaf kale and inca corn to grind for there feed for winter, because I will not feed Monsanto's poison to any living thing 2, 4, or 10 legged. The corn will be planted in a larger area by itself next to our sweet corn area, but not sure about the rest also not sure how long I should let it grow before letting the chics have at it?I've read they will tear up new plantings and such, so when will the plants be big enough for the chics to eat them but not totally destroy the entire area?
Has anyone tried this out before and what was the outcome? I have 3 acres but 2 1/2 is fenced off in horse pature and I'm afraid to let the chickens loose with the horses they will get trampled, when the horses play, I also have a neighbor who has ducks, chickens, turkey's ect. and don't want my flock joining her flock we are only seperated by a couple acre feild, she also looses alot of birds to predators, they are not fenced in. We have these chicken theives always just steps away, coyotes, foxes, wolves, oppossems, raccoons, mink, musk rats, rats, cats, even seen a moutain lion and bear not a mile from my place a few years back, also have many many crows, owls, hawks, and eagles. I have 3 dogs and during the day they keep anything away but at night only 1 is an outside dog for protection Shepard husky mix, but I can't trust her with the chickens she will eat them so she will have to be tied on a run close but not in the fenced area. We live 15 miles from anywhere, the middle of nowhere says my children. So any suggestions would be awsum. TY in advance for being so helpful. Kim

 

[CaliBlueChicken]

Hello just some suggestions that came to mind when reading your post.
~Do you have some sort of coop for your chickens, somewhere where they can get out of the elements and be safe from preditors.
~What I do with my garden is I have different areas sectioned off so that they don't mow it all down in one day, then I can monitor. I just made simple fences out of chicken wire and poles.
~Not sure what is separating your chickens from the neighbors or dogs etc. But chickens like to dig, around my fencing I make sure they are not digging a hole to the neighbors house under the fences, so I have reenforced our wooden fences with boards that go a little deeper into the ground, I have heard of people burying chicken wire etc.

Good Luck!

 

[mcostas]

I want to add a few things to my garden just for my chicks. Do they like carrots? I would think it would make nice orange yolks. I would grate them for the chickens.

 

[Pharm Girl]

Here's a link to an earlier post I did. I'm going to try growing lettuce and other things up through these so the chickens can only eat the tops. Just an idea....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=450625

 

[GhostRider65]

Good Idea but I don't think it fits my idea of the chicken garden though still a good way to feed your girls some needed greens

 

[galanie]

In my experience they will tear up new plantings and old plantings alike. Mine didn't when they were young, but once they hit about 4 months of age, they've been Landscape Clearing machines ever since. They will eat anything and everything living that they can get their beaks on. Many people have gardens for them but with few exceptions, the chickens' access to said gardens have to be restricted some way.

 

[GhostRider65]

Awww silly chickens, I was thinking they only eat newer plantings and once they get biggerish they would just browse. Hmmmmmm
How to harness living rototillers? I have several places that could use the weeds cleaned out of .. hehe would they do my work for me or make a bigger mess than I have. LOL
Probably make a bugger mess my luck. Ty for the advise it will be heeded, because I was plants for them all year round hence the mangle beets, squash ect. things I can store in my cool basement. Kim

 

[Sweetbliss]

You mentioned you planned to grow "chicweed, cilantro, german chamomile,swiss chard, sorgum, amaranth, nasturtiums, mangle beets, cabbage, assorted greens, foxtail millet, leaf kale and inca corn" - Is there a book or website you could refer me to about growing your own chicken food? I'm SUPER interested!!!

 

[maclady]

I didn't think you could grow 2 different types of corn close together due to cross pollination of the corn. I think if I'm remembering correctly that there has to be at least 300ft separating different types of corn to prevent that. Could be wrong though. Love the idea of the chicken garden. I am growing mustard green, some lettuce, spinach and trying some millet for my chickens. Good luck with your plan. I really hope it all works. Keep us posted cause I am real interested how it all works out for you.

 

[GhostRider65]

You mentioned you planned to grow "chicweed, cilantro, german chamomile,swiss chard, sorgum, amaranth, nasturtiums, mangle beets, cabbage, assorted greens, foxtail millet, leaf kale and inca corn" - Is there a book or website you could refer me to about growing your own chicken food? I'm SUPER interested!!!

No book I just asked my seed company what chickens mite like, and he suggested some of those, so I ordered them along with my garden stuff, I order from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds. No added crap in your seeds, about as organic as you can find. No Genetically modified seeds. Just the seeds The way nature intended them to be. I also googled a lot of pages with suggestions. Maybe I should write a book! sure would be easier to find out in 1 book rather than searching days onine for it.

I didn't think you could grow 2 different types of corn close together due to cross pollination of the corn. I think if I'm remembering correctly that there has to be at least 300ft separating different types of corn to prevent that. Could be wrong though. Love the idea of the chicken garden. I am growing mustard green, some lettuce, spinach and trying some millet for my chickens. Good luck with your plan. I really hope it all works. Keep us posted cause I am real interested how it all works out for you.

Don't know about that I always plant at least 2 kinds of corn 1 for drying and grinding and 1 sweet corn sometimes I plant 2 different kinds of sweet corn like honey and pearl and 1 sugar sweet the white ears.. Never had any trouble with mine. I do however notice if the farmer plants corn in the adjacent field to mine, I get that icky gray nasty bug stuff on some of the ears, never happens in the years he plants soybeans. weird huh.
Will keep this thread posted and let everyone know how it goes, and what if anything else my chickies love. Kim​