Does anyone plant crops for their flock to forage?

[xtremevermonter]

What treats do people like to plant outside for their flock? I would like to plant some crops specifically for my chickens. I was thinking they might enjoy corn, beans, and other veggies. I was also wondering if there is some type of grass/cover crop that chickens might like.

Any thoughts?

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

yes if planting green beans make sure they are not dried beans
so you would have to pull them when the green beans start to grow like a thin 4 inchlong bean pod
I would rather plant kale, swiss chard, spinach and even lettuce for them
so they can get the nice green and red chard. and green vege's

legumes are a nice planting of greens for chickens also

as long as you don't feed the green beans dried black or brown beans inside pods
and not green tomatoe vines or potatoe vines your okay

 

[xtremevermonter]

The greens sounds like a nice idea, thanks!

 

[rooster0209]

Chickens are supposed to like oat grass.

Plant a patch of oats and let em go at it. You could probably get a coffee can of oats from a farmer or elevator pretty cheap. That much of oats would plant quite a large patch.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

I'm putting in quinoa and some other amaranths, mostly for winter nutrition. I'll harvest the seeds for the poultry and also to add to my home cooking regime. I also plant pumpkin and other squashes for winter nutrition.

Regular old grass and white and red clover are loved by poultry.

 

[EricShane]

i plant sunflowers all around the outside of the run and the barn so when they grow up, the seeds fall and the girls love them.

 

[Lobzi]

Mine love to eat my spider plants (not really a crop). I cultivate the baby spiders but no sooner do I put a pot of spider plants in the pen for them but they are eaten down to the nub. They also eat the nasturtium that I encourage to grow in my yard.

 

[ChickenRiverCottage]

We are also planting sunflowers, pumpkins and some other things for the chickens. Most of it for the winter as little snacks on the side.

 

[xtremevermonter]

I'm definitely doing the sunflower thing! That sounds like an awesome idea!

 

[EricShane]

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