planting advice?

[abelseville]

I was just given some alfalfa and red clover and im thinking of firing up my tiller today and planting it for my flock. Am I crazy to think it's not too late in the year to do this? (I'm in northern VA and its mid October). What do y'all think of alfalfa and clover as chicken forage?

 

[LaDeja]

You asked the very same question that is on my mind today. What can I grow to supplement my 150 chickens? You are inspiring me to "fire up" my tiller too! I have to really mess with it to get it cranked. Feeding the flock off field grown vegetation, especially this time of year, would be a great asset to the quality of meat and my budget. I'm in Georgia. I raise chickens for just everything they have to offer. "Crops" for my chickens would make them more sustainable and affordable.

 

[SSO202]

I wouldn't think it is too late to plant anything. The way winter has gone here lately with 70 degree days in December. I would make sure it is established before you cut them loose on it. It can't hurt to try it. Where in northern VA are you?

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

yeah...I'm interested in this as well...I'm the just about 20 minutes from the VA border.

 

[abelseville]

Im in Lovettsville, near Harpers Ferry. (really northern VA)! Glad to see there are others thinking as I am. Im going to give it a go! Any other type of seed I should run out and buy to mix with clover and alfalfa?

 

[Cetawin]

The red clover can be planted now...it is a great fall winter crop. It is also a good good "green manure" crop. Just till it up before it blooms in spring and turn it into the soil to boost the soil nutrients.

I am planting red clover, rye and flax for my girlies. In Spring, I am planting some tomato spoon seeds around their run so they can have fresh tomatoes. They are about teh size of a pea. hehehehehe
We have clay everywhere and I want to girls to have some good stuff to forage through.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

How nice to be given this! Well, Ol' J.D. (John Deere's name) started to work on this yesterday....guess we all got it on our minds. Yes, it is late, but if you have had the dry weather we have been having the past few weeks it would not have sprouted. (my turnips for fall garden didn't) We got 1/2" of rain this week and expecting more! This will be perfect timing as they are cold weather crops.

Hubby does it for food plots for deer...multi-tasking.