Planting Day is Here!

[Self sufficient chickens]

I am worried that if I give the chickens whole wheat plants that they will have crop problems.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I am worried that if I give the chickens whole wheat plants that they will have crop problems.

I already lost a hen this spring to an impacted crop. Necropsy found her crop packed with grass from spring green up. I never had a problem with clover and any long leaf plants i cut up a bit before they get it.
They free range and eat grass and plants daily from the yard all year. This is the first crop issue I have had, but its common this time of year. They can over eat the fresh new growth or in that growing season prior to mowing the yard, they will eat too large/long of pieces that can get tangled up inside making it harder to process.

Usually, when supplied with quality feed, they don't just stuff themselves like that but browse. I guess she judt got carried away.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I am worried that if I give the chickens whole wheat plants that they will have crop problems.

I grew wheat in a rain gutter for an experiment and offered it to my birds when it was about 3-4" tall. They destroyed it in less than a week. No problems.

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

I grew wheat in a rain gutter for an experiment and offered it to my birds when it was about 3-4" tall. They destroyed it in less than a week. No problems.

Great. I love giving them fodder. They seem so happy and it seems more natural.