Greens to grow

[jthornton]

Wow jt how long will that tray feed for?
Ben

Ben, dunno it's my first try. I have learned a lot from others here and that photo shows one of my mistakes, putting more than one layer of seed in the tray. I guess once I get it right a 12" x 12" tray one seed layer deep will be a good snack for one day. As I understand you only want to provide a portion of their diet as greens.

JT

 

[Benschickenfarm]

Great so can expect up to about 3 days of picking good to know
Ben

 

[Benschickenfarm]

Ok it got it on the one layer of seed, I'm going to use that coconut material so will see how it holds the roots for re growth
Ben

 

[lazy gardener]

There is a difference between sprouting, and growing plants, Ben. CC and I sprout. You are talking about a different ball game all together. IMO, it would be far easier for you to sprout your grains and feed them out that way than planting in some sort of medium for a cut and come again harvest.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Correct. No medium is needed. The sprouted seed roots will create a mat that will hold the whole mass together.
You don't want anything else in there that the chickens will inadvertently eat.

 

[Benschickenfarm]

Im not going for plants per say i want something that keeps popping up after they munch it off,to fill that void of no summer greens
Ben

 

[jthornton]

Im not going for plants per say i want something that keeps popping up after they munch it off,to fill that void of no summer greens
Ben

Read this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/growing-grass-in-the-run.1205850/

JT

 

[lazy gardener]

Ben, even if you do put a medium for the seeds to sprout in, they will nibble them so short that they can't re-sprout. Seed is cheap. That is why using sprouts is such a nutritional advantage. They will eat roots and all, and you can have a new batch ready for them the next day. If you planted the seeds in a growing medium, it would take even longer for the new growth, if it occurred at all, to reach an appropriate size. And the new growth would not be nutrient rich the way sprouts are.

 

[Benschickenfarm]

So if i put a screen on top to keep the sprouts going it would not last?

 

[jthornton]

I have some of these 2x4 boxes with vinyl coated hardware cloth stretched tight and covered the edges with 1x2. Should work well in the summer to keep them busy. Fodder for the winter.
JT