Growing Greens for your Girls (and boys)

[MichelleT]

Hello! We're expanding our "chicken yard" and I have the ability to protect some crops from foraging poultry. I already grow extra greens in our garden (kale mostly) and feed them any extra veggie tops as we don't eat them (carrots, beets, etc.) BUT what I'm looking to do is to grow something that, once established, could be grazing material for my hens. They spend most of their time in a large run, but 1-2 times a day I let them out for short periods into the chicken "yard" for a little more freedom and more diverstiy in their diet. It's primarily mulched, so there are lots of bugs in the spring-fall, but there's not much there for them in the way of green: a little wild tarragon, which they like, and some weeds, some of which they also like. So, as we expand this area, I'm thinking of planting a few areas with something that they can eat when out and about. A bonus would be something perennial that I wouldn't have to replant each year, and hardy enough to take a little grazing by some chickens. Again, I can protect it while it's young and particularly vulnerable to heavy scratching and pecking. Do you grow crops specifcally for your birds? And, if so, what have you found successful - especially in an area that the birds have a little access to?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Of all the things growing in our yard, the chickens seem to enjoy grass the most. Particularly the seedheads.

The blueberry patch is now fenced in, but they still go for the wild huckleberries.

They also like dandelions, and spinach is pretty similar to dandelions in both taste and nutrition, so you could plant some spinach. It does re-seed itself every year, though it's not perennial.

I read that they like plantains, somewhere. Since both narrow- and broad-leaf plantain are still alive and uneaten in the run, I know that that's a lie, at least for my flock. Of course, birds with limited grazing are a little less picky.

Mine really liked sugar beet tops, but I've never seen them touch carrot tops. They like grated carrot.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

If you have a small pen for them you might want to consider a grow frame with a wire mesh top so they can graze the tall growth but not rip out whole plants or eat them down so far they cant grow back.

 

[MichelleT]

[QUOTE="sylviethecochin, post: 20798095, member: 482914" Mine really liked sugar beet tops, but I've never seen them touch carrot tops. They like grated carrot.[/QUOTE]

Funny, mine LOVE carrot tops!

 

[RumneyRoost]

When my girls are out foraging clover is generally what they're searching for.

 

[Aceoky]

If you have a small pen for them you might want to consider a grow frame with a wire mesh top so they can graze the tall growth but not rip out whole plants or eat them down so far they cant grow back.

I do something similar , only I plant oats, wheat rye etc. under pallets so they can eat what grows above but not scratch up the roots etc.

 

[MichelleT]

I really like the idea of growing greens under a cover of some sort... my son and husband could easily throw something together that would do the trick! (We have a couple of smaller cattle panels needing a job.)

I’m about to order some seeds so I’ll look into oats and rye and clover as well. I already have plenty of Swiss chard and kale seeds so I’ll plant extras of those.

Thanks so much!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Better to use chicken wire because chickens can reach right through cattle panels. They have a lot more trouble reaching heads, necks and feet through a 1" hex. But whatever works for you!