gardening for the flock...

[Kjordanov]

Kjordanov:

I have piles of dead leaves that I compost....I have 100+ oak on my acre.....I will feed the chicks my left over veggies and will add food from the garden...the idea is to get them off feed when I can and have feed when I cannot...just wanted to see what others were feeding theirs and how much....I'm pretty new to this...

I see! That is a great idea. I agree with the others, you should have the compost pile outside the chicken pen.

 

[4 the Birds]

I see! That is a great idea. I agree with the others, you should have the compost pile outside the chicken pen.

I guess it all depends what people consider compost. We compost rotten foods and things that I would not want my chickens scratching through. That all goes into an enclosed compost bin (large bin with a handle that you can mix by rotating). Leaves, yard clipping, and other vegetation would be OK to dig through and in the run if you choose. We throw food scaps and garden scraps down for the birds in the yard as they free range.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I have also heard of people composting inside a coop -- the idea being that they chickens will scratch through and help turn and oxygenate and in exchange eat yummy bugs. I think also long as you are thoughtful about what materials you are putting in, it should not be a problem.

 

[Jennsbirds]

I heard chickens like compost piles (garden/yard stuff, thrown out veggies scraps, etc), so I figured testing where the chickens like it,

I also want to get my birds (not just chickens) off feed and onto stuff I can raise myself, insluding extra bugs, recycled eggs, and stuff from the garden. I'm still planning what to grow for myself (onions, garlic, herbs, general salad veggies, and a few fruits or berries) and maybe one or two plants that's easy to grow for the birds. I'm not sure whaat those should be or what ekse I'll need excet sand to keep things balanced.

 

[Kjordanov]

I guess it all depends what people consider compost.   We compost rotten foods and things that I would not want my chickens scratching through.  That all goes into an enclosed compost bin (large bin with a handle that you can mix by rotating).   Leaves, yard clipping, and other vegetation would be OK to dig through and in the run if you choose.   We throw food scaps and garden scraps down for the birds in the yard as they free range.

Good point!

 

[stake]

I read an article that stated a mulberry tree was the single best plant to feed your chicks....I don't have a place for that but I am going to grow some marigolds and kale....also, I think I am going to get local kids to pick dandelions from their yards for the chicks....I do have some blackberries and wild raspberry, I may take some cutting to expand.

 

[debid]

I read an article that stated a mulberry tree was the single best plant to feed your chicks....I don't have a place for that but I am going to grow some marigolds and kale....also, I think I am going to get local kids to pick dandelions from their yards for the chicks....I do have some blackberries and wild raspberry, I may take some cutting to expand.

Careful about gathering stuff from other people's yards. You don't want to feed your chicks someone's weed killer.

 

[stake]

Careful about gathering stuff from other people's yards. You don't want to feed your chicks someone's weed killer.

Duh!, excellent point!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'm in the woods and I use autumn leaves both in the run and in the coop. I gather them via the lawnmower with a bagger on it so they're chopped up a bit. Dump them in the run and the coop. The chopped leaves begin to compost down in short order and attract the leaf-eating earth worms that the chickens love. I combine them with pine shavings as deep litter in the coop and the girls love it. When spring comes, I rake them up from the run and coop - with the addition of that wonderful chicken poo - and put them in my bin composter. They're mostly broken down at that point and make it to the garden in a few months when they've composted further.

I do not allow them to eat any foods from our actual household compost pile that includes rotting fruits, veggies, etc. I lost one bird last summer to what I'm pretty sure was botulism and eating from the household compost is a good way to make a bird sick, especially in high heat.

I grew marigolds last year for the girls. They HATED them. Wouldn't touch 'em. I ended up throwing the marigold heads into the coop and it brightened up the floor a bit! They ended up in the compost pile last fall and will hit the garden this spring.

I find that my girls love leafy greens so I grow extra lettuce, cabbage, kale and collards for them. I grow extra in the garden and I will also grow it in pots. Some of the lettuce and kale's are very pretty and look ornamental so they're nice to have on the deck. You can keep them from bolting early by planting them in an area that will be shaded when the trees leaf out. Their favorite veggie is definitely cucumber and I usually have so many of them that's it's no problem sharing.

When the garden is done in late fall, I let the girls in to clean up the bugs and weeds. Just now moving them out of the garden space as we get ready for spring planting. I sure hope they got all those blasted cucumber beetles!

 

[stake]

I'm in the woods and I use autumn leaves both in the run and in the coop. I gather them via the lawnmower with a bagger on it so they're chopped up a bit. Dump them in the run and the coop. The chopped leaves begin to compost down in short order and attract the leaf-eating earth worms that the chickens love. I combine them with pine shavings as deep litter in the coop and the girls love it. When spring comes, I rake them up from the run and coop - with the addition of that wonderful chicken poo - and put them in my bin composter. They're mostly broken down at that point and make it to the garden in a few months when they've composted further.

I do not allow them to eat any foods from our actual household compost pile that includes rotting fruits, veggies, etc. I lost one bird last summer to what I'm pretty sure was botulism and eating from the household compost is a good way to make a bird sick, especially in high heat. 

I grew marigolds last year for the girls. They HATED them. Wouldn't touch 'em. I ended up throwing the marigold heads into the coop and it brightened up the floor a bit! They ended up in the compost pile last fall and will hit the garden this spring.

I find that my girls love leafy greens so I grow extra lettuce, cabbage, kale and collards for them. I grow extra in the garden and I will also grow it in pots. Some of the lettuce and kale's are very pretty and look ornamental so they're nice to have on the deck. You can keep them from bolting early by planting them in an area that will be shaded when the trees leaf out. Their favorite veggie is definitely cucumber and I usually have so many of them that's it's no problem sharing. 

When the garden is done in late fall, I let the girls in to clean up the bugs and weeds. Just now moving them out of the garden space as we get ready for spring planting. I sure hope they got all those blasted cucumber beetles! 

Laurel:

It sounds like you are doing is what I was planning to do...thanks for responding.