Grain/grass feeding

[Driley62]

Couldn't tell you. I don't have a green thumb. Nor are our growing zones even remotely similar. Yes, that's a rather small area to work - but anything is better than nothing.

It is small but I think it's appropriate for amount used. I think last year I went through about 5 square bales worth or hay.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Thanks for the link!

It doesn't list the grasses I would most like to be rid of, like and quackgrass and crabgrass. Man, if those made good chicken feed, I'd be all set!

I don’t know the exact nutritional values of those grasses, but setting some chickens on them to clear them out is probably a win-win.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I don’t know the exact nutritional values of those grasses, but setting some chickens on them to clear them out is probably a win-win.

Oh ye of little faith -

Crabgrass (Goose Grass)
11% Protein
29% Fiber
7% Carbs
0.5% Calcium, 0.26% Phosphorus, good potassium source

Quackgrass references an article evaluating its use as forage for sheep, now unavailable. But with the title, the article can be found here. Full text here (Pay Site - Oxford).

 

[Perris]

Now I'm wondering the yield. If I make a patch off to the side to be cut down to be used as a food/bedding come winter months. I think I can do a small patch of 4x10(I don't have a large patch of land so I'm very limited on my cover crop size). Not looking to make a shit ton of grasses for the winter if you catch my drift. I only have 20 birds so if I can't harvest say 3 times out of a 40 square foot patch(just like farmers hoping to get 3 cuts out of their fields for their cows) I think I'd be in pretty decent shape.

Just make sure the grass you cut and give them is short lengths - long ones can cause impaction of the crop. If they grazed it, they'd just snip the tops off and move on. Runs lose all their grass because there's not enough of it, and that would apply to your area too, so maybe you just need to allow controlled access...?

You may find this useful on nutrients of grass - it's written for dairy farmers, but it's not hard to recalibrate for poultry https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/dairy/Whats_in_Grass_Todays_Farm_May2014.pdf

 

[Driley62]

Just make sure the grass you cut and give them is short lengths - long ones can cause impaction of the crop. If they grazed it, they'd just snip the tops off and move on. Runs lose all their grass because there's not enough of it, and that would apply to your area too, so maybe you just need to allow controlled access...?

You may find this useful on nutrients of grass - it's written for dairy farmers, but it's not hard to recalibrate for poultry https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/dairy/Whats_in_Grass_Todays_Farm_May2014.pdf

I knew that if I allow them complete access to it that it would kill it off. Also I'm recent days I has spotted a bobcat about 25 yards away from my setup after going out to inspect what had startled the birds. The area mentioned being seeded isn't 100% secure to a bobcat. So im thinking of allowing limited daily access to when we arrive home from work til lock in time. Which would equate to about 4 hours on working days and allow all day access 2 possibly 4 days of the week. I'm a prison guard so my days off rotate where my wife has a Monday through Friday job.

 

[Sally PB]

Two species of crabgrass are found in Michigan, large or hairy crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis), and small or smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum).

Goose grass (Eleusine indica)​

Dang, not the same thing.

I had thoughts of making a chicken moat around part of my garden this year so they could kill that stuff. We decided not to move the coop down there; it's going to stay up by the house. And since I added on to the coop and the run, it's staying up here permanently.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Two species of crabgrass are found in Michigan, large or hairy crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis), and small or smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum).

Goose grass (Eleusine indica)​

Dang, not the same thing.

I had thoughts of making a chicken moat around part of my garden this year so they could kill that stuff. We decided not to move the coop down there; it's going to stay up by the house. And since I added on to the coop and the run, it's staying up here permanently.

Try this

 

[Sally PB]

Yup, that's what I have.