Does anybody have a Salad Bar growing in the run?

[LaylaFlora]

What I did was attached deer netting to three sides of the fencing at the end of the run about 14'' off the ground. Our run is long and narrow about 50'X10'. I put 2 short wide pots and filled them half way with a soil/compost mix under the netting to help support the net when the chickens walk on it. The side of the netting that is not attached to fence has rocks weighing it down so the chickens cannot get underneath it. I spread a "chicken pasture" seed mix and voila!

The point is that chickens can eat the greens as they grow but can't scratch them out of the ground. I got the idea from a customer at the nursery who made a 2'X6' frame for this purpose.

I had this setup for about 2 years and it worked well. I recently tore it down as the native weeds had taken over. I am letting the birds "renovate" the area before I start over again.

Here is the only pic I could find. Notice the chicken on the left is elevated in comparison to the birds on the right.

 

[chooks4life]

I like the term 'Salad Bar' and I wonder where you got the 'Chicken Pasture' seed mix... Sounds good!

I don't have one growing at the moment but it's been on my to-do list for ages. I've been thinking to get it done in the next few weeks all going well. Want to grow them medicinal herbs in their run since once I have the dog yard meshed they should be able to free range so will be getting their grass elsewhere.

Best wishes.

 

[lazy gardener]

You might look at some of the excellent deer fodder mixes. I bought 3# of mixed brassicas and sprout them for the chickens. If I have any left over in the spring, I may make them a "salad bar" or just broadcast them and put fencing around them until they are well established.

You could also go through all of your old seed packets, and make up a mix of seeds that would be chicken worthy.

 

[LaylaFlora]

I get the chicken pasture mix from Peaceful Valley Garden & Farm Supply. <------click to view the product on their webpage.

The blend consists of:


Tetrelite intermediate ryegrass
Tetraploid perennial ryegrass
Common Flax
Buckwheat
Tetraploid annual ryegrass
Japanese Millet in Spring and Summer or Ryegrain in Fall and winter
Red clover, OMRI listed coating
Strawberry clover, OMRI listed coating
Alfalfa, OMRI listed coating
Ladino clover, OMRI listed coating
Broadleaf Trefoil, OMRI listed coating

You could also go through all of your old seed packets, and make up a mix of seeds that would be chicken worthy.

I like this idea. I definitely need to do this!

 

[shorttimer]

Salad bar is a great term for a multi seed veggie mix. I hope you don't mind that I use that term for my back yard from now on. Just 2 days ago I bought 10 pounds of a multi seed cover crop mix to do the same thing all over the whole yard. I hope it will be good grazing for the chickens and attract bees, too. I had been watching some videos from Geoff Lawton (permaculture) and Gabe Brown about no-till farming and the use of cover crops and figured it would be the best thing for my back yard since it always turns into weeds. Soil building is key to having happy plants and the plants themselves help with the whole process. Might as well be the Salad Bar for the chickens. My new years resolution.

 

[chooks4life]

I was already thinking to go with the old seed packet mix, lol. But these other ideas sound good too, thanks.

Best wishes.