Developing the grass in your yard for increasing free ranging nutrition

[Lacy Blues]

Yahoo! Give them a hand! Like this...

 

[Beekissed]

Oh happy day!!!

We've had just enough break in the workload and the weather that "they" are actually starting to prep the fields for the expanded poultry pastures today!!!!

Yay! Yay! Yay!

So now you can start to seed your pasture!! So, what is your final seeding mix going to be?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I was just wondering the same thing!

Dutch white clover, obviously. Probably some subterranean clovers as they are better at re-seeding themselves. Some perennial dry-land pasture grasses. Rye cover crop cuz we have a lot of that on hand (should have been seeded in fall, but whatever). Probably some super old veggie seeds I found stuffed in a cupboard ... it can't hurt. Probably some sunflower seeds. A smidge of alfalfa.

I want some broader leaf stuff, too. Might go for some dandilion seeds if anyone actually sells them.

Chickweed?

I'm going to have to hit the Interwebs so I can come up with a specific list that's easily doable. And doesn't freak people out too much cuz it's weeds!

I'll post about the final mix ...

 

[Lacy Blues]

I was just wondering the same thing!

Dutch white clover, obviously. Probably some subterranean clovers as they are better at re-seeding themselves. Some perennial dry-land pasture grasses. Rye cover crop cuz we have a lot of that on hand (should have been seeded in fall, but whatever). Probably some super old veggie seeds I found stuffed in a cupboard ... it can't hurt. Probably some sunflower seeds. A smidge of alfalfa.

I want some broader leaf stuff, too. Might go for some dandilion seeds if anyone actually sells them.

Chickweed?

I'm going to have to hit the Interwebs so I can come up with a specific list that's easily doable. And doesn't freak people out too much cuz it's weeds!

I'll post about the final mix ...

I have had relatives and friends pluck a few dandelion heads and put the seeds in an envelope for me. But I have seen places online that sell them if you want to go that route.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Dandelions are very hard for the chickens to kill. They like the leaves but leave the flowers alone. It's strange to see a patch of just flowers and no leaves.

 

[Fentress]

What a winter! The plot of red clover that overwintered nicely last year took a big hit this year, lost about a third. I hope what is left will rebound well. The fescue that thrived last year got cold burned this year and has yet to get going again. The annual rye did fine and has started to respond to warmer weather.

 

[Arielle]

I was just wondering the same thing!

Dutch white clover, obviously. Probably some subterranean clovers as they are better at re-seeding themselves. Some perennial dry-land pasture grasses. Rye cover crop cuz we have a lot of that on hand (should have been seeded in fall, but whatever). Probably some super old veggie seeds I found stuffed in a cupboard ... it can't hurt. Probably some sunflower seeds. A smidge of alfalfa.

I want some broader leaf stuff, too. Might go for some dandilion seeds if anyone actually sells them.

Chickweed?

I'm going to have to hit the Interwebs so I can come up with a specific list that's easily doable. And doesn't freak people out too much cuz it's weeds!

I'll post about the final mix ...

This is a new term-- reseeding is always a good thing, or good strong rooting system-- how do you know if a clover falls into this group??

 

[Fentress]

I was just wondering the same thing!

Dutch white clover, obviously. Probably some subterranean clovers as they are better at re-seeding themselves. Some perennial dry-land pasture grasses. Rye cover crop cuz we have a lot of that on hand (should have been seeded in fall, but whatever). Probably some super old veggie seeds I found stuffed in a cupboard ... it can't hurt. Probably some sunflower seeds. A smidge of alfalfa.

I want some broader leaf stuff, too. Might go for some dandilion seeds if anyone actually sells them.

Chickweed?

I'm going to have to hit the Interwebs so I can come up with a specific list that's easily doable. And doesn't freak people out too much cuz it's weeds!

I'll post about the final mix ...

Would you mind sharing with us what you are doing to establish a new pasture? In terms of prep, seeding, watering etc. Is this a farm field? Yard?

Thanks

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

This is a new term-- reseeding is always a good thing, or good strong rooting system-- how do you know if a clover falls into this group??

Well ... when asked my Dad ... a veteran farmer ... what I should ask for at the seed mill, he said "subterranean clover." He said it is not as tall as other clovers (which can be HUGE) so more "chicken friendly."

Google helped me find this ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifolium_subterraneum

Google is great with these things. That wiki article was the third hit in my google of "how can you tell if clover is subterranean?"

Now you have the power of google in your own hands!

 

[Beekissed]

Well ... when asked my Dad ... a veteran farmer ... what I should ask for at the seed mill, he said "subterranean clover." He said it is not as tall as other clovers (which can be HUGE) so more "chicken friendly."

Google helped me find this ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifolium_subterraneum

Google is great with these things. That wiki article was the third hit in my google of "how can you tell if clover is subterranean?"

Now you have the power of google in your own hands!

Sounds like it may be difficult to find as it's not used in many areas here in the US, according to Wiki....do you have a source? Evidently you do or your Dad wouldn't have known about it, I'm thinking.

You know what really tickles me about legumes and even other grasses? The calcium amounts. When I read about people wanting to control calcium amounts for chicks and roosters and only letting hens have calcium in their feeds I have to chuckle....my birds are eating far more of the "allowable/recommended" calcium than can be found in any feed ration each day...and with wonderful results.

For instance...white dutch clover average calcium level is 10.1 and the minimum is higher than can be found in any feed ration out there.