Developing the grass in your yard for increasing free ranging nutrition

[LeslieDJoyce]

I've been reading the G. F. Heuser Feeding Poultry book ( http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003011545;view=1up;seq=96 ) pretty slowly, but finding it absolutely fascinating. I'm starting Chapter 4, Measuring the Value of Feeds

Chapter 3 was about nutrients, and what happens when diets are deficient in specific nutrients, and what types of food supply nutrients. Practically everything is available in liver and/or living greens. But, strangely, liver isn't analyzed in the charts at the end of the chapter ... nor was much living green stuff. I have a lot more pages to read, including an entire chapter on forage, so fingers crossed.

If you are interested, there were 4 cool charts at the end of chapter 3 ...

Chart 3, Average Composition of Organic Nutrients and Available Energy of Feeds used in Poultry Rations (pages 56 & 57)

Chart 4, Mineral Matter Content of Feeds used in Poultry Rations (pages 58 & 59)

Chart 5, Vitamin Content of INgredients Commonly Used in Poultry Feeding (pages 60 & 61)

Chart 6, Amino Acid Composition of Poultry Feedstuffs (pages 62 & 63)

You can jump to those charts in the viewer for the book at the link I've posted above.

Sadly, White Dutch Clover is not listed in those charts, but "Alfalfa, green" is. Beekissed has provided us with nutritional information of various forage options ... including WDC. It is interesting to compare.

One of the last points made in Chapter 3 was that while protein can "replace" fats and carbohydrates up to a point, the same is not true in reverse.

 

[Kassaundra]

Do you ladies have a link to Mr. Coe? I'm thinking I want to get some seeds. It will be a one time investment so I think the $5 is worth it. Comfrey does well here, I just have to give it lots of water! I would like to have enough to harvest several times a year to let dry and feed green as well!

A few posts back someone I think Bee posted a link to coe's comfrey. But he does not sell seed that I remember, just the rootings which are more expensive. I found seed on Ebay for comfrey though a few days ago.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks Kassaundra, I'll look that up on eBay.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

About where to buy comfrey, and what to plant ... I did a very quick google search and fond this advice:

"You can get plants from Richters. If you want them for feeding to animals get the Bocking 4, if you want it for compost additive and fertilizer get Bocking 14.
You can order large qty's of plants but as others have mentioned a couple plants will turn into more then enough after a couple years.
As far as feeding to animals some people have found that the leaves are more palatable if they are slightly wilted first."

So, I googled Richters, and found they have catalogs for several countries and in the catalog for the USA seem to have several kinds of comfrey.

Here is the Richters catalog entry for Comfrey Bocking 4: http://www.richters.com/Web_store/w...76&show=&prodclass=F003&cart_id=8724770.14030

Here is the info for that link ...
Bocking 4 Comfrey
Symphytum x uplandicum 'Bocking 4'
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 4-9)


The preferred type for farming use. Highest concentration of protein. More rust-resistant. A natural hybrid between Symphytum officinale and Symphytum asperum. See Russian Comfrey Bocking No. 14 also. Recommended as fodder, especially for pigs and poultry.



P1876 Plants CROP FAILURE $4.50/ea, $10.05/3 plants, $31.80/12 plants


But they list that product with "Crop Failure," so the Coe's source might be better? Coe's Comfrey is also the Bocking #4 kind ...

http://www.coescomfrey.com/comfrey.html


I have some HUGE planters I might put some comfrey in so I can cut it, wilt it, and toss it in the chicken coops.

Edited to add: here is a listing for Comfrey seeds ... http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/herb-seed/comfrey.html?gclid=CITv3Y-1obsCFYVlfgodgj8A6w

Edited again to add (from the link above): "
Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) - Comfrey has been used as a healing herb for centuries. The comfrey herb is native to Asia and Europe, but early English immigrants brought it to North America for medicinal purposes. Common Comfrey, Latin name: Symphytum officinale, grows to be approximately 60 inches tall. It has slender lance-shaped leaves and produces bell-shaped purple flowers that bloom from May to September. Comfrey, even when grown from Comfrey seed, has a deep root system with thick dark-colored roots. Comfrey may have violet, pink or creamy yellow flowers.
Comfrey contains chemicals that speed up wound healing. It has astringent, antifungal and antibacterial properties. Comfrey also contains a wide variety of healthy chemicals and nutrients. It has been recently learned that it can be a carcinogenic when taken internally, but it is still used as a topical treatment for skin irritations, cuts, sprains and swelling.
The form and size of the Comfrey herb might have you thinking it is a shrub, but it will die back to the ground in the winter and it does not get woody. Comfrey has a deep tap root, so it is extremely drought tolerant and a useful clay busting plant. It is also useful as a slug and snail repellent.
Leaves can be harvested and dried at any time. If you are growing it to harvest the leaves, you can make your first cutting when the plants are about 2 feet tall. Cut back to within a few inches of the crow. If you begin harvesting early, you won't get flowers. Leaves, flowers and roots have all been used in traditional medicine, but use extreme caution if you don't know what you're doing. Comfrey should never be taken orally and even a topical application can cause problems."

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you Leslie

 

[Aphrael]

About where to buy comfrey, and what to plant ... I did a very quick google search and fond this advice:

"You can get plants from Richters. If you want them for feeding to animals get the Bocking 4, if you want it for compost additive and fertilizer get Bocking 14.
You can order large qty's of plants but as others have mentioned a couple plants will turn into more then enough after a couple years.
As far as feeding to animals some people have found that the leaves are more palatable if they are slightly wilted first."

So, I googled Richters, and found they have catalogs for several countries and in the catalog for the USA seem to have several kinds of comfrey.

Here is the Richters catalog entry for Comfrey Bocking 4: http://www.richters.com/Web_store/w...76&show=&prodclass=F003&cart_id=8724770.14030

Here is the info for that link ...
Bocking 4 Comfrey
Symphytum x uplandicum 'Bocking 4'
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 4-9)


The preferred type for farming use. Highest concentration of protein. More rust-resistant. A natural hybrid between Symphytum officinale and Symphytum asperum. See Russian Comfrey Bocking No. 14 also. Recommended as fodder, especially for pigs and poultry.



P1876 Plants CROP FAILURE $4.50/ea, $10.05/3 plants, $31.80/12 plants


But they list that product with "Crop Failure," so the Coe's source might be better? Coe's Comfrey is also the Bocking #4 kind ...

http://www.coescomfrey.com/comfrey.html


I have some HUGE planters I might put some comfrey in so I can cut it, wilt it, and toss it in the chicken coops.

Edited to add: here is a listing for Comfrey seeds ... http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/herb-seed/comfrey.html?gclid=CITv3Y-1obsCFYVlfgodgj8A6w

Edited again to add (from the link above): "
Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) - Comfrey has been used as a healing herb for centuries. The comfrey herb is native to Asia and Europe, but early English immigrants brought it to North America for medicinal purposes. Common Comfrey, Latin name: Symphytum officinale, grows to be approximately 60 inches tall. It has slender lance-shaped leaves and produces bell-shaped purple flowers that bloom from May to September. Comfrey, even when grown from Comfrey seed, has a deep root system with thick dark-colored roots. Comfrey may have violet, pink or creamy yellow flowers.
Comfrey contains chemicals that speed up wound healing. It has astringent, antifungal and antibacterial properties. Comfrey also contains a wide variety of healthy chemicals and nutrients. It has been recently learned that it can be a carcinogenic when taken internally, but it is still used as a topical treatment for skin irritations, cuts, sprains and swelling.
The form and size of the Comfrey herb might have you thinking it is a shrub, but it will die back to the ground in the winter and it does not get woody. Comfrey has a deep tap root, so it is extremely drought tolerant and a useful clay busting plant. It is also useful as a slug and snail repellent.
Leaves can be harvested and dried at any time. If you are growing it to harvest the leaves, you can make your first cutting when the plants are about 2 feet tall. Cut back to within a few inches of the crow. If you begin harvesting early, you won't get flowers. Leaves, flowers and roots have all been used in traditional medicine, but use extreme caution if you don't know what you're doing. Comfrey should never be taken orally and even a topical application can cause problems."

Ooo. Slug and snail repellent would be good. I don't know about snails for sure, but I know my chickens and ducks won't touch a slug with a 10' pole.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Ooo. Slug and snail repellent would be good. I don't know about snails for sure, but I know my chickens and ducks won't touch a slug with a 10' pole.

Really???? I haven't seen a slug since I got the ducks. And I live in Oregon where slugs are the state bird. The ducks are Perpetual Slug Hunting Machines!

I read a quote once along the lines of: You don't have too many slugs, you just have too few ducks.

You need to have a talk with your ducks.

 

[Aphrael]

Really???? I haven't seen a slug since I got the ducks. And I live in Oregon where slugs are the state bird. The ducks are Perpetual Slug Hunting Machines!

I read a quote once along the lines of: You don't have too many slugs, you just have too few ducks.

You need to have a talk with your ducks.

I know! I keep telling them they are missing out.

They love earthworms, grubs, walking sticks, wasps, hornets, spiders, bees and flies (and probably lots of others). But I've tried to get them to eat a slug and they won't. They grab it then quickly spit it out and run to the water to wash it out and then won't go back near it.

I'm hoping my anconas will be better slug hunters when they grow up.

 

[LindaB220]

Before I bought from Coe's (plugs) I ordered 100 seeds on Ebay and planted just a few in a pot to see. And they sprouted just great. I'm waiting until spring but seeds are a good option. With shipping I think I paid $7 for the 100. They will take a little longer than the plugs but, you know, $7. I paid $46 for 10 one year plugs and I think if I had to do it over I would just buy several 100 pks and go to town!! ha

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Before I bought from Coe's (plugs) I ordered 100 seeds on Ebay and planted just a few in a pot to see.   And they sprouted just great. I'm waiting until spring but seeds are a good option.  With shipping I think I paid $7 for the 100.  They will take a little longer than the plugs but, you know, $7.  I paid $46 for 10 one year plugs and I think if I had to do it over I would just buy several 100 pks and go to town!!  ha     

I wonder what the nutritional difference is between the seeds and the plugs. With the plugs you can order a cultivar specific to poultry and pig fodder. But seeds are sure easier to ship ... and they are more affordable.

I wonder if the plants are as easy to divide and replicate as things like hostas are. Presuming the don't swallow the property on their own.