Grazing Frame - Fodder Table Box - Continuously Grow Fodder & Seedlings & Sprouts For Chickens

[Nifty-Chicken]

Can they get at those larger leaves thru the HC?

So far it seems they can peck through the wire enough to get at the larger leaves. They are leaves from the BOSS.

What all is growing in there?

This is on the bag, but most of what's growing is the red wheat and BOSS

 

[ZephyrCoveFarms]

I bought a bag of rye grass seed to try when it gets “colder”. I’m thinking about letting the girls at one box with the top propped open while the other grows then alternate but only if the other way (eating through the HC) doesn’t work out.

 

[StinkyAcres]

@Nifty-Chicken Sorry if you've mentioned this already, but I'm wondering if you've noticed if your chickens have a preference for a certain type of plant/sprout. Do they like the wider leaves of the sunflowers? I am excited to try this!...But I have to wait a few months for 26 inches of snow to melt!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

@Nifty-Chicken Sorry if you've mentioned this already, but I'm wondering if you've noticed if your chickens have a preference for a certain type of plant/sprout. Do they like the wider leaves of the sunflowers? I am excited to try this!...But I have to wait a few months for 26 inches of snow to melt!

Great quesiton!

Honestly, I don't know yet. I should plant a small "crop" in a small container indoors, let it grow for a week or two, then put it out and watch carefully to see what they go after the most!

 

[aart]

But I have to wait a few months

Was thinking about this today.....this thread would be much more active if most of us weren't in the middle of winter.

 

[CanadaEh]

A few questions on my mind that I'd LOVE to get consensus on:

1. What types of seeds / plants are best for a system like this? Which have you tried?
2. What size wire mesh do you think is best and why?
3. How high off the ground is too low, too high, or just-right?
4. What have you done with this system to make it as trouble-free and successful as possible?
5. What would you avoid?
6. Any and all other tips, tricks, and/or experiences?

1. What types of seeds / plants are best for a system like this? Which have you tried? - Barley and wheat because they are cheap and we buy them for feed anyways.
2. What size wire mesh do you think is best and why? - Does not matter as long as they don't fall through it. I used a grate with 2" cells because I had it. Would go with smaller cells if i had to buy one.
3. How high off the ground is too low, too high, or just-right? - 3-4" should be sufficient
4. What have you done with this system to make it as trouble-free and successful as possible?
5. What would you avoid?
6. Any and all other tips, tricks, and/or experiences? About 2x6' plot we have had was ok to give them (12 birds) just a bit of greens guaranteed every day, but not enough for main source of greens. The main failure why it was dismantled was that the birds were scratching all around it and while they did not scratch the grass, they have kept burring it with the compost from around. I found it easier to bring big clumps of grass from outside roots and all and they would keep producing new grass for couple of weeks. If you have enough space to build it on larger scale and have no scratchable dirt around it, it will be well worth the effort.

 

[ZephyrCoveFarms]

Leveled run dirt and screwed the boxes together with enough space behind to open tops.

Curious hens had to

Opened and seeded. One has deer plot mix and the other rye grass. It’s in the 70’s here so they should be sprouting by Wednesday or Thursday.

I covered the seed with about 1” of organic potting soil.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Wow, I'm jealous! This is fantastic!!!

 

[ZephyrCoveFarms]

Dang mole already found my seed and is tunneling through it. Hopefully plenty will still come up despite my late planting. It’s been pretty mild and in the 70’s the last few days in the afternoon.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Dang mole already found my seed and is tunneling through it. Hopefully plenty will still come up despite my late planting. It’s been pretty mild and in the 70’s the last few days in the afternoon.

Bummer!

I was actually thinking about adding a layer of hardware cloth underneath to keep gophers out... but so far they haven't found the stash.