Does anyone grow sunflower sees for their chickens?

[Beka123]

I planted a row of sunflower seeds along our property line last fall b4 I got my chickens, now I'm thinking that would be a good source of free food for them... The only problem is I know I will be fighting the birds for the seeds. Does anyone have a solution?

 

[syble]

you could bag the heads after they are pollinated but before they are ripe.

 

[Beka123]

Thanks, how do I do that and with what? It sounds pretty self- explanatory but I've never heard of it

 

[jdeoliveira74]

the put brown paper bags over the head of the flowers and the seeds fall in the bags when they are ready!

 

[felidaet]

I grow BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds) for my birds every year. I grow 3 rows that are each 30' long. I start feeding them to the chickens as soon as I see seeds forming under the flowers. I don't wait for the seeds to be fully mature. I leave about 2' of stem attached. They eat any remaining flower parts along with the seeds and even the leaves. Then I toss the head and stem in the compost pile. I don't usually have much problems with the wild birds until very late in the fall. At that time of the year the paper bags will not work very well for me because we are usually getting rain by then.

I have read in these forums that BOSS seed is much more nutritious and easier for the birds to digest than Gray stripe sunflower seeds. It can be difficult to find BOSS seed to purchase for growing but I found an inexpensive easy source. I just buy some BOSS seed for feeding to the birds and plant some of it. When it starts growing thin the plants to about 8" apart in the row.

BOSS is very easy to grow. In addition to providing a nutirious treat for your birds it is nice to look at.

 

[centrarchid]

I have tried and will try again since I use about 200 lbs each year. Problem I have is with goldfinches that eat a large portion of what I have attempted to raise to date. More will have to be raised to exceede what darn finches will eat.

 

[ajlynco]

I grow BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds) for my birds every year. I grow 3 rows that are each 30' long. I start feeding them to the chickens as soon as I see seeds forming under the flowers. I don't wait for the seeds to be fully mature. I leave about 2' of stem attached. They eat any remaining flower parts along with the seeds and even the leaves. Then I toss the head and stem in the compost pile. I don't usually have much problems with the wild birds until very late in the fall. At that time of the year the paper bags will not work very well for me because we are usually getting rain by then.

I have read in these forums that BOSS seed is much more nutritious and easier for the birds to digest than Gray stripe sunflower seeds. It can be difficult to find BOSS seed to purchase for growing but I found an inexpensive easy source. I just buy some BOSS seed for feeding to the birds and plant some of it. When it starts growing thin the plants to about 8" apart in the row.

BOSS is very easy to grow. In addition to providing a nutirious treat for your birds it is nice to look at.

What's your inexpensive easy source felideat?

 

[ajlynco]

I'm really interested in growing my own BOSS. Can anyone give me some info regarding how they successfully grow thiers?

 

[cravenchx]

I just plant them......and I don't mind sharing
with others while they are maturing. All God's
creatures have to eat.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

We grow a few thousand acres of sunflowers on the farm, so I'll ocasionally go out and grab a few heads from the field. The birds like it and it keeps them entertained.