Pasture forage for chickens

[Lady Lionheart]

Howdy everyone! This was our first year with our chickens. We had regular grass in our backyard and after letting the ladies free range it, I'm not too sure if it will come back in the spring. Today I got the idea to replace it with something more nutritious for them. Found this online. My questions are: Is this a good, healthy blend? And how long to keep them off of it before turning them lose on it? Ty in advance for any help!

 

[Melky]

It looks like good seed for cover crops. These are typically easy to grow in hard to grow areas. Cover crops tend to also provide nitrogen and nutrients back to your soil to keep from depleting the soil nutrients. The chickens will love it. I wouldn’t make this your chickens only diet and would just consider this a treat. So you still want most of diet from a full complete feed. I let mine grow 4-5 weeks in a raised bed covered with white grow cloth and it was 4-5 inches high. I would clip and ration to birds so not more than 10% of their diet. I would at least get it 4-5 inches high first before letting them into it.

 

[Lady Lionheart]

It looks like good seed for cover crops. These are typically easy to grow in hard to grow areas. Cover crops tend to also provide nitrogen and nutrients back to your soil to keep from depleting the soil nutrients. The chickens will love it. I wouldn’t make this your chickens only diet and would just consider this a treat. So you still want most of diet from a full complete feed. I let mine grow 4-5 weeks in a raised bed covered with white grow cloth and it was 4-5 inches high. I would clip and ration to birds so not more than 10% of their diet. I would at least get it 4-5 inches high first before letting them into it.

Thank you! So they will still have their nomal feed out at all times. I was just planning on letting them on this for a couple of hours each day. Do you think that will be too much for them?

 

[Melky]

I think that would be fine.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's an excellent blend for chickens. Grass isn't really that good for chickens. It's too fibrous and if mature just too tough for them as well as not very nutritious for non-grazers. They need tender forbs like those in the blend. Keep them off of it till the alfalfa and clover is well established.
In addition to the things in the blend, I also like buckwheat (in summer only) forage type turnips, beets and radish.

 

[Lady Lionheart]

That's an excellent blend for chickens. Grass isn't really that good for chickens. It's too fibrous and if mature just too tough for them as well as not nutritious. They need tender forbs like those in the blend. Keep them off of it till the alfalfa and clover is well established.
In addition to the things in the blend, I also like buckwheat (in summer only) forage type turnips, beets and radish.

Awesome! Thank you. Can you give me a idea, time wise, on how long it should take for the clover and alfalfa to get established? Only asking because my ladies are going to be pretty upset at me for keeping them penned. I'll need to come up with ideas on keeping everyone happy.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

From time to time during the year from late winter to late fall, I top dress all chicken forage areas with alfalfa, field peas, clover, radish and "7 Top" turnips as well as buckwheat in warm weather.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It depends on soil temperature. Some can begin at 49F but optimum germination temperature for those things will be 60-70. In Pueblo, I wouldn't expect a good stand of forage till April.
I would fence off a portion of the yard so you can keep them off of it while it gets established.
You may not even need fence posts. Just get a roll of cheap 4' tall fencing and make a circle in the yard. Spread the seed and then cover it with straw to keep the seed moist while it gets established.
You can also portion the yard into paddocks (3 minimum), Then allow the chickens into one at a time while the others establish or recover.

 

[Lady Lionheart]

It depends on soil temperature. Some can begin at 49F but optimum germination temperature for those things will be 60-70. In Pueblo, I wouldn't expect a good stand of forage till April.
I would fence off a portion of the yard so you can keep them off of it while it gets established.
You may not even need fence posts. Just get a roll of cheap 4' tall fencing and make a circle in the yard. Spread the seed and then cover it with straw to keep the seed moist while it gets established.
You can also portion the yard into paddocks (3 minimum), Then allow the chickens into one at a time while the others establish or recover.

Thank you so much! That's a wonderful idea!

 

[MissChick@dee]

I garden with chickens. You’ll need to invest in wire for fencing. I have found that there are some plants (and grasses) that will get demolished as the chickens love tender new sprouts. You’ll need to establish the growth first. What I have found extremely helpful was to grow things through the wire-laid flat on the ground so they can’t dig and scratch it up. You’ll probably want to rotate areas of maturity.