Plants that are good for poultry forage and green manure.

[MareeZoCool]

I'd LOVE to place my order for those seeds! BUT we're not having luck with our mail - retrieval system, a neighbor collects all the mail and holds it for us. It's a thing DH has OK'd with the old coot. ........"Hey, it gives the old man a sense of usefullness & purpose."
Personally, I'd prefer to NOT have someone sniff through my mail B4 I see it. As things are, the old man, his wife, then my DH go through my mail & discuss "what she's doing with your money"( it's MY income,HE don't bring in a dime!)

 

[ParadisePoultry]

Any way you could have stuff sent to you at work?
Quote:

 

[kristen2678]

I think Sandhill Preservation sells what seems like a good forage mix..... can't find the link at the moment.......

 

[digitS']

Sandhill Preservation, Chicken Treats, etc. (2009?)

Peaceful Valley Farm sells an "Omega-3 Chicken Forage Blend."

Steve

 

[zephyrcreek]

Awesome thread. This is something I have been looking into myself and can't wait to learn more.

 

[Ariel301]

Funny, this is an idea I was thinking of the other day! I was looking at 'cover crops' in a seed catalog, and found that field peas would be able to grow here all winter-- most garden vegetables don't do well with freezing rain, but it says the peas are fine to 10 degrees. I was thinking of ordering some to fill the whole garden with next winter and use it as a pasture for my chickens...then I get the benefits of the nitrogen-fixing crop and the chicken manure too, plus cut down my feed bill. It would be much easier if the chickens just dropped their manure straight in the garden instead of me having to rake their pen for it! It's good to see that my idea is not so far-fetched after all.

 

[digitS']

As a green forage crop for poultry, antinutrient factors are probably negligible. Saving the crop until the seed is mature and turning the chickens out on that may be fine. I don't know.

"Field peas are considered to be a relatively problem-free ingredient in poultry diets when peas are included at recommended levels. Field peas contain relatively low levels of trypsin inhibitors and spring-seeded cultivars contain less than one-half of the inhibitor levels in winter-seeded varieties." North Dakota State University

Soybeans and other legume seed may have much too high of these antinutrient factors that interfere with the digestion of the feed. These problems are overcome by heat-processing. How important or necessary cooking might be for peas, I've not been able to find out.

Steve

 

[Koricory]

http://www.hancockseed.com/seed-varieties-241/food-plot-seed-373/food-plot-seed-blends-388/hancock-s-dove-field-seed-mix-50-lb-bag-119.html

Wild Forage for Doves...

they have other food plot mixes that would work well for poultry.

another option is to buy in the bigger quantities 25 and 50 lb bags. Prices seem to be some of the best i've seen, granted i've been looking at 50lb bags.

Buckwheat Seed
- 50 lb. Bag $32.00

Egyptian Wheat Seed
- 50 lb. Bag $45.00

Brown Top Millet Seed
- 50 lb. Bag $22.00

 

[detali]

I planted fava beans for my chickens last year. When I let them out into it they did not eat it only trample it up. They must have instictively known there is something not good for them in it. This year I have a patch of tyfoon for them. It's a cross between a turnip and rape, I believe. The leaves taste like tendergreen mustard. It's also good for human comsumption. They love it. And besides it is deep rooted which is accomplishing another good thing for my garden. When the weather gets warm enough this patch will be planted to various beans.

 

[DianeB]

I'm reviving this thread becasue I have a question about clover. It is getting late in the season to plant. So, my options are limited on what I can plant. I've been thinking about New Zealand White Clover, Red Clover and Crimson Clover. Crimson Clover is really supposed to be planted in the Fall. But it is shade tolerent and would go well on the side yard were my chickens hang out during the Summer heat. Also, planting under an apricot tree that gets full sun. All are supposed to be good foder, attract beneficials and heat tolerent. Has anyone planted these before? Did you chickens like to eat them? Can these be easily overgrazed? How long would should I allow it to establish before I let them on it? Would it be too late to plant Crimson Clover in CA?

Thank You