Newb from Westside of Cleveland

[Chicken.Lytle]

Welcome to BYC! I started with chickens over the summer and the people of BYC have been great. Please visit my BYC Page for my blog links that you may find informative or amusing.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from fellow Buckeye. So glad you joined. I also raise tomatoes and lettuce for my chickens and ducks. The garden will expand this year. You can check out other Ohio members on the link below.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12049

 

[alex101]

Quote:
I actually live in Avon which is right up the street from you

Do you know of any place that has organic feed or a local farmer possibly that has grains. I'd prefer no GMO and organic.

 

[Gardengirl 2011]

Welcome from Florida.

I remember having a fit when I had chickens before and they got into my gardens. What a mess they turned it into, lol. Completely destroyed. Have fun with your new chicks when you get them.

 

[shelleyb1969]

from Michigan!

 

[Cacciatore]

Welcome from Northern California.

I keep my chickens out of the garden by putting netting around my raised beds. After they completely removed every blade of grass from their free range area I built several 4' x4' frames from 1" pvc pipe and covered them netting. I plant grass or proso millet or alfalfa in them and when it get several inches high I let the chickens in to eat. It takes them one day to eat what took three to four weeks to grow.

By rotating the planting I'm able to let them in for a treat about once a week. They love it. I also raise red worms that I feed to them at times as a treat. That has the benefit of producing worm castings for the garden. When I mow my lawn a give them the clippings. They love them. If you choose to do this DO NOT use any chemicals on your lawn. I don't give them veggie scraps because I feed those to the worms.

 

[TigerLilly]

 

[alex101]

Quote:
That's some great ideas! Thank you. I'm purely organic so chemicals is a non issue. I thought about letting them have access to my compost once in a while. The alfalfa is a great idea thank you.

 

[MSDeb]

Chickens will tear up a garden as others have said but, on the flip side they will eat pretty much anything you give them including cabbage, collards, broccoli etc. They are the best compost turners around, very enthusiastic workers.

 

[iluvsedward]