Greens that my girls will like?

[Ballerina Bird]

My ladies have supervised free range time in my garden, but I don't have a lot of vitamin-rich edible plants, just drought-tolerant flowering species like salvia and fuchsia, plus ornamental grasses, rosemary, etc. (I live in CA, where low-water gardening is very important). They do pick at those, but not a whole lot; mostly they seem interested in finding bugs. So I have been trying to supplement their diet with some healthy greens from the store to give them some vitamins and beta carotene (their yolks are not very orange). I have tried three kinds of kale, two kinds of chard, carrots, and various other produce, and they turn up their noses at everything! I've tried giving them these things repeatedly, as I know sometimes it takes them a while to decide that something is OK. They do love an apple, but that's about it. I guess they like sweets. Can anyone suggest any other healthy leafy green treats that they might enjoy? I saw that the food coop has mustard greens and wondered if that might be something to try?

 

[Eggcessive]

My chickens will only eat kale, but they love it. I have to chop it into small pieces because they can't pull it if it is just lying on the ground. I put whole kale in the wire suet holders and hang them, and they are gone quickly.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

What kind of hens do you have?

Some of mine enjoy some romaine lettuce (or any lettuce really), spinach, green beans, etc. Not all of my hens like the same things. I have others that prefer tomatoes, bananas, and mealworms.

Also, some of my hens do not have an orange yolk, but eat the same things. I noticed my buff orpingtons and black australorps have orange yolks, but my white leghorns always seem to have a bit lighter yolk. So I know they're all just as healthy, the yolks are just a tad different. Sometimes I wonder if it's because my leghorn's eggs have a much larger yolk.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

What kind of hens do you have?

Some of mine enjoy some romaine lettuce (or any lettuce really), spinach, green beans, etc. Not all of my hens like the same things. I have others that prefer tomatoes, bananas, and mealworms.

Also, some of my hens do not have an orange yolk, but eat the same things. I noticed my buff orpingtons and black australorps have orange yolks, but my white leghorns always seem to have a bit lighter yolk. So I know they're all just as healthy, the yolks are just a tad different. Sometimes I wonder if it's because my leghorn's eggs have a much larger yolk.

I have pita pinta asturiana hens; they are a fairly rare breed in the US. That's very interesting to know that different breeds lay differently colored yolks. Mine love mealworms, too, and any kind of treat that has been marketed as such by the chicken accoutrements industry (scratch, sunflower seeds); my girls are clearly good little consumers!

But the actual whole food seems trickier. Spinach and green beans are a great idea; I will try that next.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

My chickens will only eat kale, but they love it. I have to chop it into small pieces because they can't pull it if it is just lying on the ground. I put whole kale in the wire suet holders and hang them, and they are gone quickly.

Thank you! I will try cutting everything up smaller; that is a good point. I just saw one of my girls sitting on a piece of kale and picking at one end of it, so perhaps she has found a solution.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I hope you find something they grow a taste for

I don't know if there is any proven facts behind the different breeds and their yolk. This is purely just an observation in my own flock. I always assumed since they shared the same diet the yolks would be the same (or at least pretty close) and there is a significant difference.

I looked up your breed (I had never heard of them before), they are very pretty.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

I hope you find something they grow a taste for

I don't know if there is any proven facts behind the different breeds and their yolk. This is purely just an observation in my own flock. I always assumed since they shared the same diet the yolks would be the same (or at least pretty close) and there is a significant difference.

I looked up your breed (I had never heard of them before), they are very pretty.

Thank you! They are a wonderful breed, calm and very sweet with funny personalities.