Growing feed?

[19disbre]

I have 1 acre to free range my chickens in, I want to grow them some food. What plants should I plant, I was thinking a cover crop (Clover, turnips) or whatever you think is the best for food production and some other plant like maybe cherry tomatoes? Are birds smart enough to eat just the fruit and not the poisonus plant parts?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have 1 acre to free range my chickens in, I want to grow them some food. What plants should I plant, I was thinking a cover crop (Clover, turnips) or whatever you think is the best for food production and some other plant like maybe cherry tomatoes? Are birds smart enough to eat just the fruit and not the poisonus plant parts?

Chickens can be almost as destructive to plant crops as a heard of swine. Therefor I doubt that one acre of food production land and one flock of chickens will long co-exist.

Do remember however that chickens are far different from humans or most other mammals. So some plants or plant parts that are deadly to humans are the staff-of-life to chickens and vice-versa. I think that birds would rather eat poisons like Strychnine than drink when they're thirsty.

Where ever you are, you are from one to two years behind on planting clover. It should already be planted and established before you attempt to pasture hens on it. Otherwise you're only feeding your chickens clover seeds.

Being from the South I am well aware that raw legumes are poisonous. That is why our mommas hollered at us to stop eating raw goober peas. "Get out of those peanuts, your going to get a belly ache!!! You hear me???...." Chickens are very discriminating eaters. You will imho have a difficult time poisoning a chicken with raw plants.

 

[19disbre]

As longs as they get some benefit out of it. I was thinking about beans to. I don't really care how destructive they are I am growing it for them not me