Pumpkins as Chicken Feed

[centrarchid]

In coming years plan to plant about an acre of orchard understory in pupmpkin to be used as supplemental chicken food source in fall. Any suggestions on cultivars that give quality edible yield? I’m not after bigger pumpkins, rather more edible yield per acre. More calories

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You will probably want to look for seeds that say for baking or cooking as opposed to decorative varieties. Baking pumpkins will have more meat in general and be sweeter.

https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-pumpkins-for-baking-ingredient-intelligence-211333

 

[centrarchid]

We have a fairly sizable area near us the racist pie pumpkins. It’s several hundred acres at least. I will see what varieties are using

 

[3KillerBs]

the racist pie pumpkins

I think you have a typo here.

Good, old autocorrect!

To answer the question, I find that the C. moscata varieties seem to be meatier for the individual squash/pumpkin but I don't know what are more prolific. Probably depends on local soils and weather.

Maybe your local Ag Agent could steer you right?

 

[centrarchid]

Another reason why texting and driving should be against the law.

 

[Molpet]

Cinderella stack and keep well. Vines run about 50ft though

 

[Percheron chick]

I don't grow pumpkins as I work a pumpkin farm every year but at the end I take a 1/2 truck load home for the geese and chickens. I have found the flat deep ribbed pie pumpkins last the longest. Carving pumpkins rot first. No nicks, a stem and never frozen can last well into the new year. I store them in the tack room (unheated), single layer, not touching, off the floor. Everytime I feed one I check for signs of rotting and that one is fed first. Spraying with a light bleach mixture is supposed to extend them so I might try that. It did get below freezing last week so it might be a lost cause but I can usually nurse them along for a month.

 

[Molpet]

I posted on FB local town group for used Halloween pumpkins and bales... this was one of 3 loads I picked up.