It's winter - How to add greens into a flocks diet?

[PandCo]

Hello,

It's winter around here and I was just wondering what people do to add greens into their chickens diets?
I know some include sprouting grains and what not, giving them alfalfa pellets, and giving them kitchen scraps that are of the vegetable variety.

I have only been giving them kitchen scraps as of late and I want to get more information on what is the best way to keep the girls happy and healthy in the wintertime.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Do a search for sprouting grains....

Thats my plan, I don't know anything I am new here

But it looks easy, soak grains overnight, keep moist a few days they sprout and BOOM, fresh greens.

Gary from Idyllwild Ca here

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I give mine slabs of a mixed grass hay to pick through. They eat seeds and the blades of grass. Some use alfalfa hay and I've read alfalfa cubes and pellets. I also occasionally give mine lettuce from the store.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm fortunate that it hasn't been cold enough to kill off all my vegetables and plants, so the green my chickens get are some grass that they forage, plus carrot tops and broccoli leaves from my garden. Those are the sorts of things that usually get tossed (I eat them, most people don't) that my chickens also seem to love.

 

[Howard E]

Go to youtube and look at "fodder for chickens".

You can use a lot of things........one old book I've got from 100 years ago showed a system just like these using oats, so the idea isn't new. Seven trays for seven days. Start one and feed one each day.

Works well for greens in the dead of winter, but also works well the rest of the year too if the birds are confined to a house or run that is void of greens. They don't absolutely need it, but will devour it when given a chance to.

Alfalfa hay isn't bad either as long as it was put up right. Dry and no mold. Feed it in small amounts and likely they will pluck the leaves, leaving the stems for litter bedding. Too much and they will tromp it down and waste it. Grass hay is good for dry bedding and litter. Legume hay, like alfalfa, clover, etc. will get tromped down and will get wet and mucky as the leaves hold and retain moisture.

 

[chickens really]

I use Alfalfa hay.....a small flake tossed out in the run.......Once in awhile some romaine lettuce or kale........Cucumber....



Cheers!

 

[ShanandGem]

I buy my chickens carrots, kale, squash, zucchini, cabbage, sweet potatoes, really any root/fall harvest vegetable. They're cheap enough over the winter months, and I find I eat more vegetables myself by having it on hand for the chicken birds. I dice it or grate it and mix it with their fermented feed right before serving.
They also help themselves to whatever hay they find lying around, and I increase the alfalfa percentage of their hand mixed feed in the winter.

ETA: Next year I plan to plant a big garden and will freeze as much as I can.