Chickens ate all the garden plants/cover crop

[pintail_drake2004]

Well, we always plant a cover crop/fall & winter forage for our chickens and rabbits. It typically includes a mixture of winter wheat or rye, turnips, beets, rape, kale, sometimes clover and more. We alternate what/where we plant in the garden, and often have thick lush green mats the animals use. The chickens are allowed to free range into this ~7000 sqft garden to help reduce feed cost. The rabbits get a handful of whatever we pull/clip a few times a week. The added bonus is we get to use a lot of what's grown for ourselves too. However, this is the 1st year our chickens and ducks have nearly decimated the entire plot! All that's left are a few little green sprigs on top of the turnips and a stray kale leaf or two. Though I'm thankful our birds have utilized our plot, I'm a bit concerned as they are still being their regular daily ration of commercial 16% layers feed (Not TSC). I'm starting to think they may be lacking something.

 

[azygous]

They probably have larger appetites this year due to too many cold spells. You would have better luck rotating sections so they can recover and get estabished before the hungry hoards descend.

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

Well, we always plant a cover crop/fall & winter forage for our chickens and rabbits. It typically includes a mixture of winter wheat or rye, turnips, beets, rape, kale, sometimes clover and more. We alternate what/where we plant in the garden, and often have thick lush green mats the animals use. The chickens are allowed to free range into this ~7000 sqft garden to help reduce feed cost. The rabbits get a handful of whatever we pull/clip a few times a week. The added bonus is we get to use a lot of what's grown for ourselves too. However, this is the 1st year our chickens and ducks have nearly decimated the entire plot! All that's left are a few little green sprigs on top of the turnips and a stray kale leaf or two. Though I'm thankful our birds have utilized our plot, I'm a bit concerned as they are still being their regular daily ration of commercial 16% layers feed (Not TSC). I'm starting to think they may be lacking something.

I agree with your conclusion ...plus... technically chicken should have 20 to 22% protein. do you give your girls mealworms?

 

[K0k0shka]

16% protein is too low, so they're lacking in that department and might be trying to compensate.

 

[nuthatched]

I agree with your conclusion ...plus... technically chicken should have 20 to 22% protein. do you give your girls mealworms?

Careful not to over do the meal firms, they contain more fat than protein

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

Careful not to over do the meal firms, they contain more fat than protein

Well there's always walnuts I feed those to my chickens too and my chickens are happy

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

16% protein is too low, so they're lacking in that department and might be trying to compensate.

Do you have a feed mill animal feed mill around you somewhere typically their feed for chickens is higher protein they usually range somewhere in the 18 to 20% but the crap that you get in the Big Chain stores gives lower protein amounts

 

[nuthatched]

Well there's always walnuts I feed those to my chickens too and my chickens are happy

Those are great treats, but shouldn't be given on a regular basis. Fat gathers around the internal organs like the heart and kidneyd and eventually causes failure.

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

Well there's always walnuts I feed those to my chickens too and my chickens are happy

And walnut is the highest protein nut in The Nut family

 

[crazyeggRobyn]

Careful not to over do the meal firms, they contain more fat than protein

And walnut is the highest protein nut in The Nut family

I am just suggesting things that will help boost protein I'm not saying you have to feed this to your chickens everyday