- Sep 18, 2010
- 188
- 2
- 103
Hi
I am interested in growing some of my own feed for my layers. I have Harvey Ussery's book, "The Small-Scale Poultry Flock." I have grown and do grow grain sorghum, milo, ryegrass, wheat, oats, and my father supplies me with some field corn. I've also done some sunflowers, although this year's crop was not a success. I'm not shelling all those sunflowers, but I think Grey Mammoth (?) are easy enough to shell that the chickens can do it themselves. I cannot manage to grow even sweet corn for people to eat, much less field corn that stays on the plant long enough to dry thanks to the squirrels!!!! Detest them. They know when it's ready and attack. I even enclosed it with electrified poultry netting and saw them run right through it. One thing I am able to grow is field peas, aka crowder peas, Southern peas, or cowpeas. I live in SC. English peas have a brief season here and are too precious to feed to the chickens. But I toss them a pod of dried peas and they love them. I have a stash already for winter. Our hot climate and long growing season makes this possible. I've read that they have a good bit more protein than corn and as such may be a better base for feeds. Also, I have a nice stand of buckwheat in the garden now, which I hope will mature before frost so I can let the girls eat the seeds. Does anyone grow their own feeds? I know maximum egg production requires scientifically formulated feeds, but I'm not after that, necessarily.
I am interested in growing some of my own feed for my layers. I have Harvey Ussery's book, "The Small-Scale Poultry Flock." I have grown and do grow grain sorghum, milo, ryegrass, wheat, oats, and my father supplies me with some field corn. I've also done some sunflowers, although this year's crop was not a success. I'm not shelling all those sunflowers, but I think Grey Mammoth (?) are easy enough to shell that the chickens can do it themselves. I cannot manage to grow even sweet corn for people to eat, much less field corn that stays on the plant long enough to dry thanks to the squirrels!!!! Detest them. They know when it's ready and attack. I even enclosed it with electrified poultry netting and saw them run right through it. One thing I am able to grow is field peas, aka crowder peas, Southern peas, or cowpeas. I live in SC. English peas have a brief season here and are too precious to feed to the chickens. But I toss them a pod of dried peas and they love them. I have a stash already for winter. Our hot climate and long growing season makes this possible. I've read that they have a good bit more protein than corn and as such may be a better base for feeds. Also, I have a nice stand of buckwheat in the garden now, which I hope will mature before frost so I can let the girls eat the seeds. Does anyone grow their own feeds? I know maximum egg production requires scientifically formulated feeds, but I'm not after that, necessarily.
