Plants that are good for poultry forage and green manure.

[sevenchickens]

DianeB-I've read that Durana clover can tolerate a fair amount of grazing. I don't have any personal experience with it but the guy in the feed mill confirmed what I had read. The big draw back is the expense. Perhaps it is worth it because of longevity. Does anyone have any personal experience with this clover?

 

[DianeB]

I believe that durana is a gmo. Here is an article talking about its registration http://crop.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/45/2/797 Not exactly sure, though. Does anyone have more info on this clover?

 

[DianeB]

http://www.agresearch.co.nz/science/appliedbioachieve.asp Here is another site stating release of Durana, Patriot and Tribute clovers as a achievement in biotechnology (all the way at the bottom). Its probably a GM crop. Sorry, the problem is that GMs are not labeled.

Personally, I want to stick to OP and some old hybrid varieties. I have been only browsing organic and sustainable farm products websites to be on the safe side.

 

[MsPony]

Flat leaf parsley! I got a herb garden going for my rats and my chicken stole the entire parsley plants. They are demolished, gone, lol.

 

[sevenchickens]

Oh you're kidding. What a disappointment. I even read about the Durana in an organic gardening magazine, I never would have thought to check if it was a GMO. I'm very happy to know now and I'm glad I didn't order the seed, I would have been might irritated.

I have a question too- Can anyone recommend something to plant in a well used chickens run? It has been resting for several years now and still wont grow anything but scrub. Do you think something like the clover or hairy vetch would grow in such manure saturated soil. In the fall we put a thick layer of leaf mulch down which I plan on tilling under but would like to try to plant something in there that would grow and be beneficial.

 

[DianeB]

http://www.noble.org/ag/forage/whiteclovercultivars/index.html Here is another article describing it more. It is actually a clone, not crossed with extra-species DNA. So, it was made in a test tube but with only clover DNA. I'm not sure if this would make it prohibited in organic agriculture. Guess it is up to you if you consider this biotech or not? Personally, I still will go for traditionally propogated cover crops.

 

[sevenchickens]

I would call this biotech. this isn't a plant that nature had any intention of making. I will avoid it organic or not.

 

[DianeB]

It suprises me that it would be in an organic magazine. Since, GM crops are prohibited in production. So, read the articles and decide what it is. I am trying to research if it is hybrid produced by sometype of non-traditional means. Organic and biotechnology just doesn't add up.

 

[Brick243]

I just started feeding clover this week. It is getting tall enough that I can get handfuls and throw over fence to them. They eat it like it's candy.

 

[DianeB]

Thanks. I hope my chicky-chicks like it, too. Does anyone know if it is too late to plant heat resistant clover in zone 9?