Chicken Food Tower

[ReneesRanch]

In fact I was reading the article about the best treats for chicken, and suddenly an idea came into my mind. I have bought such hardware cloth (not sure if it is called so in English) originally for making a simple support between raised beds for beans and cucumbers. But, anyway it ends up with such a wire compost bin, but quite high, 1.2m.

I cleaned the run and put the mixture of soil, poo, whatever they scratched and left on the ground together, added the grass seeds then piled them up.

View attachment 2752777
View attachment 2752778
mixed grass seeds with whatever they scratched and left before adding them in the compost tower
View attachment 2752779

Then, well, i have really a lot of vegetable seeds, i means, why not push this idea a bit further?
View attachment 2752782

radish, coriander, different kind of brassica family veggies, carrots, herbs...
View attachment 2752785
pea - they should not directly eat raw beans, i know, but the leaves and flowers, tendrils will be nice! (i can accept only pea pods left for us, haha)
View attachment 2752786

Well, can't wait to keep developing this idea forward!
View attachment 2752788
Did anyone try similar ideas? It would be great for hearing your experience. I believe it can provide them both food and fun

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How did it work out? Great idea!

 

[KatsGotChicks]

How did it turn out? Can you post pictures of the towers with the plants growing from it? Also, fresh beans from a plant are probably ok for chickens. I believe it’s the beans that are dried for preservation that are bad for chickens.

 

[NewtonZapple]

In fact I was reading the article about the best treats for chicken, and suddenly an idea came into my mind. I have bought such hardware cloth (not sure if it is called so in English) originally for making a simple support between raised beds for beans and cucumbers. But, anyway it ends up with such a wire compost bin, but quite high, 1.2m.

I cleaned the run and put the mixture of soil, poo, whatever they scratched and left on the ground together, added the grass seeds then piled them up.

View attachment 2752777
View attachment 2752778
mixed grass seeds with whatever they scratched and left before adding them in the compost tower
View attachment 2752779

Then, well, i have really a lot of vegetable seeds, i means, why not push this idea a bit further?
View attachment 2752782

radish, coriander, different kind of brassica family veggies, carrots, herbs...
View attachment 2752785
pea - they should not directly eat raw beans, i know, but the leaves and flowers, tendrils will be nice! (i can accept only pea pods left for us, haha)
View attachment 2752786

Well, can't wait to keep developing this idea forward!
View attachment 2752788
Did anyone try similar ideas? It would be great for hearing your experience. I believe it can provide them both food and fun

View attachment 2752792

Wow!!! What a great idea - I have some extra wire, too. I’m going to make me some right away!!!

 

[southwestclucker]

I tried a compost ring this past spring and my little boogers dug under it so far that they were able to break in and wreck it, lol!

 

[southwestclucker]

Here's where I got the idea to try that to begin with, from our buddy at Edible Acres:

 

[Ascholten]

i got one that is not an escape artist but a master break in artist as well. She gets into, and out of so many things. She's also turning into a major bully I am seeing here, she got smacked with a broom handle yesterday because she pecked one of the little ones so hard she drew blood. Given she's not laying eggs either she's on real thin ground whether she makes it thru to the new year as an intruder of the compost pile or a part of it.

Those rings and stuff are nice but the moment the chickens discover there are worms in there, or yummy sprouts, all bets are off as to how well it will fare after that moment

Aaron

 

[Matejka]

What is the best way to tie the wire rings to the ground? My birds turn em over.

 

[Ascholten]

get those cork screw like dog chain things that you twist into the ground turn them in and then tie wrap or somehow support the wire to the rung on that.,

Aaron

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I couldn't keep mine moist enough, stupid as that sounds here in FL. But I'm not giving up on the idea.

 

[3KillerBs]

I couldn't keep mine moist enough, stupid as that sounds here in FL. But I'm not giving up on the idea.

I've had that issue with every sort of raised bed I've tried here in central NC.

They have to be watered more than once per day in blistering heat.