Chickweed How Healthy is it?

[Ascholten]

Been weeding the garden lately and grabbing out a lot of chickweed. Stuff seems to be all over
The girls seem to love it and will eat the tar out of it. I can dump a pile of it and they go right to town, even to the point of I caught them dragging a big clump into the chicken coop and eating it there too. Not sure if this was intentional or not but amusing nonetheless.

My question is, how good is it for them? The way they seem to love it, im more inclined to think it's more of a candy than nutritious. Should I limit how much they get or let them have at what they can of it? They seem to like clover too but the chick weed absolutely is their first choice. Dandelions, not so much. Im experimenting with weeds and feeding them, being careful to pull out the stinging nettles and stuff that might hurt them.

Opinions?

Aaron

 

[cooingdove]

not sure, we have loads of it, they love it, and we let them eat it, no idea if this is ok. i'd love to know the answer as well.

 

[Brooks_]

Stinging nettle is fine for humans cooked...I imagine for the chicks as well. No clue on chick weed, I don't even know what it looks like.

 

[Ascholten]

Stinging nettle is fine for humans cooked...I imagine for the chicks as well. No clue on chick weed, I don't even know what it looks like.

After what that $$it did to me when I grabbed it, hiding in my mint patch, a flamethrower is the only thing I have in mind for it. Not cooking a plant just for the birds and have no desire to hope I cook it right so I don't torture my mouth to eat it either.

 

[Brooks_]

After what that $$it did to me when I grabbed it, hiding in my mint patch, a flamethrower is the only thing I have in mind for it. Not cooking a plant just for the birds and have no desire to hope I cook it right so I don't torture my mouth to eat it either.

Yeah, I haven't tested it either.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Chickweed Nutrition Facts, 1 cup

• Calories - 96
• Total Fat - 1 g
• Saturated Fat - 1 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat - 0 g
• Monounsaturated Fat - 0 g
• Cholesterol - 0 mg
• Sodium - 0 mg
• Potassium - 0 mg
• Total Carbohydrate - 15 g
• Dietary Fiber - 8 g
• Sugars - 0 g
• Protein - 6 g
• Vitamin A - 4 %
• Vitamin B - 120 %

If you're going to feed a lot of it often, I'd supplement with some additional protein (and make sure they have access to their regular feed).

 

[Ascholten]

They do have access to their regular feed, and they get plenty of protein from that and the bugs they catch free ranging im sure. I am more concerned with them filling up on the weed and NOT eating their regular food, Whenever I let them free range, which is daily when I am home, I always leave their regular food available too. Generally when they do roam, I feed them pellets around noonish or so. This gives them a good few hours to root around for food, then supplement with the known good stuff, rather than let the little feathered oinkers glut on the pellets then just lazy around Ill keep an eye on them and if they spend too much time in the weed pile, Ill limit its access.

Aaron

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

They do have access to their regular feed, and they get plenty of protein from that and the bugs they catch free ranging im sure. I am more concerned with them filling up on the weed and NOT eating their regular food, Whenever I let them free range, which is daily when I am home, I always leave their regular food available too. Generally when they do roam, I feed them pellets around noonish or so. This gives them a good few hours to root around for food, then supplement with the known good stuff, rather than let the little feathered oinkers glut on the pellets then just lazy around Ill keep an eye on them and if they spend too much time in the weed pile, Ill limit its access.

Aaron

Sounds like a good approach! Observe and adjust if needed!

 

[Ascholten]

Well yes it could be considered a good approach but if it is already known that letting them eat too much of that is not good for them, or even just slightly too much is not good for them, like letting them fill up on scratch feed, which they love too, as an example, Id rather find out BEFORE observing bad affects and then having to adjust later when their health is suffering.

Aaron