Chicken Pre-Setup -- Run + "Garden"?

[BigBlueHen53]

Some people put mint in a pot and plant the pot in the ground, I've heard that helps. Absolutely do that with catnip if you decide to plant that, it make mint look like a slacker! (Ask me how I know, lol!)

 

[castillo_de_luz]

I'd likely plant some fast-growing veggies with leafy greens that could be quickly harvested and fed to them. Something easy to sow or self-sowing - radishes, peas, leafy greens, herbs, etc. Could even be something perennial - such as tree collards, my chickens love eating tree collards

Now there's an idea! I have some greens in my real garden but probably plenty of spare seed this year. I could toss those in and see how they do, maybe get a bonus crop. Thank you!

 

[castillo_de_luz]

Some people put mint in a pot and plant the pot in the ground, I've heard that helps. Absolutely do that with catnip if you decide to plant that, it make mint look like a slacker! (Ask me how I know, lol!)

I have a medium-sized pot (above ground) that I designate as my mint spot. That's all I give it! Hmm I've never grown catnip, despite having a cat. That could be a fun one, although we do have neighborhood outdoor kitties so I don't know how that would go. Maybe they'd help with pest control if I reward them with nip!

 

[castillo_de_luz]

Ah, I misunderstood. I thought you were planning a garden the chickens would actually be in. Sorry about that!

No worries! It's possible I'd let them roam briefly on occasion, which means they could decide to meander over into that bed. Mass destruction will NOT be permitted At least until it's time to turn over the soil, in which case I could definitely let the ladies handle that job for me.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd likely plant some fast-growing veggies with leafy greens that could be quickly harvested and fed to them. Something easy to sow or self-sowing - radishes, peas, leafy greens, herbs, etc. Could even be something perennial - such as tree collards, my chickens love eating tree collards

Something like this. As I understand this thread, it's not there for your chickens to graze in. It is there for you to toss things into their run for them to eat as a supplement to their normal feed. I do that from the main garden but having something handy is so much nicer.
I'm not sure what would grow well in Massachusetts but I'd think along lines of green leafy veggies that not only grow fairly fast but create a ground cover to shade grass and weeds from growing so it does require less maintenance. Chard and kale would be high on my list but grow a variety of things. Maybe zucchini or yellow squash.

 

[castillo_de_luz]

Something like this. As I understand this thread, it's not there for your chickens to graze in. It is there for you to toss things into their run for them to eat as a supplement to their normal feed. I do that from the main garden but having something handy is so much nicer.
I'm not sure what would grow well in Massachusetts but I'd think along lines of green leafy veggies that not only grow fairly fast but create a ground cover to shade grass and weeds from growing so it does require less maintenance. Chard and kale would be high on my list but grow a variety of things. Maybe zucchini or yellow squash.

Yes exactly, close proximity and therefore dedicated to *something* for them, whatever that may be. It sounds like a fast-growing leafy green or three might be the way to go, which I can definitely do. Maybe I'll do some greens and some herbs/flowers this year, see what likes that location best, and focus on the winners next year. Thanks!

 

[perkolator]

Glad the suggestion helped. I'm sorta doing the same thing for my chickens this year; my garden is a few hundred feet away and up a hill, so having some goods nearby their run will be handy.

I planted some cover crop in Fall that grew against the fence and they enjoyed pecking at that through the fence. Just planted peas along their fence last weekend to do the same thing since they like to eat those in the garden. I left some Halloween pumpkins around the perimeter to sow themselves there, and I've got a few cuttings of my purple tree collard that I'll be planting there too. Gonna plant extra cucumbers and summer squash this year and let some get oversized for giving to chickens.

I believe bean greens are something you don't want to feed the foliage to chickens, but pea greens are ok.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I have a berry garden and a tomato garden for the chickens. They LOVE all berries and cherry tomatoes. So I toss berries and cherry tomatoes into their side of my garden fence during grow season and then in fall I let them decimate the garden beds. Just an idea......

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have a medium-sized pot (above ground) that I designate as my mint spot. That's all I give it! Hmm I've never grown catnip, despite having a cat. That could be a fun one, although we do have neighborhood outdoor kitties so I don't know how that would go. Maybe they'd help with pest control if I reward them with nip!

Lol. It won't make them better mousers. When my cats have been in the 'nip, first they come barrelling in the house like their tails are on fire, smashing into walls and insisting aliens have landed. When that wears off, they roll around on the floor in ecstasy, eyes crossed and drooling. Basically they're drunk.

 

[NatJ]

I believe bean greens are something you don't want to feed the foliage to chickens, but pea greens are ok.

I keep seeing sources that list the leaves of bean plants as being safe for people to eat, and I haven't found anything that lists a chicken-specific reason to avoid them.

For the sake of clarity: I am talking about phaseolus vulgaris, the common green beans and string beans and kidney beans and pinto beans and so forth. I haven't seen as much information on other species of beans.