how often to feed fresh greens.

[EncinoMan]

I pack a small suet cage with whatever greens I've got around and hang it in the run each morning. My three birds go straight to it, usually cleaning it out within a half hour. Their absolute favorite is butter lettuce, a local market sells small dark heads of it very inexpensively and the girls go berzerk for it. They will also eat kale, dandelions, carrot tops, napa cabbage and about any kind of sprouts. Yesterday I gave them beet greens...the reaction was lukewarm, but they finished them off eventually.

 

[new world]

Sorry for my ignorance but what is a suet basket and how would I make one for my girls?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
I wouldn't consider greens a "treat" so much as an essential part of their diet. I started raising chickens because I wanted to feed a higher quality food to my family, and knew I could produce better eggs than store-bought. The thing is, if all I feed is layer feed, how will my eggs be any better than commercial eggs where the hens are fed a diet of solely....layer feed?

I take a different view than most. My girls free-range 24/7. I don't even have a run. There is commercial feed available at all times but I expect them to find what they can free-ranging and supplement with the layer feed. How much they are able to do this varies with time of year. I fence off my veggie garden and grow extra greens each year just so that I can cut a few leaves a day and throw them over the fence to the girls. And, in the Spring, before my garden has taken off, I pick dandelions from wherever I can find them where I know they weren't sprayed with chemicals and feed them those. Greens are the best way to provide a variety of nutrients, including the needed calcium. IMHO, you pretty much can't overdo them because they'll stop eating them when they know they've had enough.

 

[centrarchid]

Greens are normally a major part of the chickens diet. During parts of year, especially spring through early summer, my free ranging flocks consume so much vegetable matter that is appears to repressent nearly half of the bulk in the fecal matter. It certainly provides some nutrients, especially vitamins, but energy as provided by breakdown of cellulose may also be important, especially when birds offered only a limited ration. It may also promote normal function of the gut by providing bulk to help move materials along. My confined birds (in coops) fed exact same "complete" diet seem to progress slower through molts, produce fewer eggs with more pale yolks, and generally fail to thrive long term relative to birds with "free-choice" access to green forages.

 

[Olive Hill]

I have to agree with those who are recommending that you feed as much as possible. IMO, chickens should not be without access to some kind of greens at any point.

 

[EncinoMan]

Quote:
It's a little painted wire cage, designed to hold suet cake for feeding wild birds. Mine was two or three dollars at Walmart, or any pet store will have them. The idea was to hold the greens up off the ground...not strictly necessary, but I prefer it to throwing them on the ground. Plus it makes the girls work a bit, and keeps them busy and hopefully entertained.

 

[new world]

Thanks EncinoMan, I haven't seen anything like that here in Western Australia but I will have to look around now I know what I am looking for. I live more country areas so we are limited of what supplies we can get but I am sure there will be one somewhere or perhaps I will get one on line. I also worried about my girls getting bored as they are not able to free range so that would help to keep them entertained as you say.

Thank you for your help, much appreciated.

 

[ellyn]

This is was a very helpful thread. I get discarded veggies from the local natural food store's deli. The remains from the juicing machine and other organic produce.
I sort through it and what I won't feed the girls goes in my compost pile. My neighbor brings it to me FREE! I think you can be liberal, but I do like the guidance of the clean it up in 10-20 minutes.

 

[KDK1]

Typical days treats for my 9 chickens.

 

[new world]

KDK1 - how many chickens do you have for that amount of food per day, just curious??