They eat every green thing that comes into sight!

[Moochie]

How am I supposed to grow grass in my front yard if they eat every green thing that grows? I had squash, growing fabulous but then they started eating the leaves and trying to eat the squash. I have my plants with fences but they jump over it and they like to dust themselves in the soil. I have no problem with that I'm just wondering why they eat any plant they see?
How do some people have grass in their yards? Yours don't get rid of any vegetation? My dad also said chickens are good for keeping bugs outta the garden... They ate the bugs and the garden.

 

[abhaya]

It is a chicken thing they love grass and greens. I have a ton of space for my free range gals so they dont kill one spot but I did not get a singel tomato off 2 plants this year.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

That's a natural part of their diet. Dark leafy greens also make them healthier. It makes their eggs healthier for you to eat, too. Eating nothing but grain and soy is an unnatural diet for a chicken. They can live on it if the missing vitamins and minerals are added in. It's not what's best for them and not what they prefer, if they have other choices. They also love bugs and worms, along with other quality proteins, but mine crave greens, too. Don't get me wrong, they love grain and seeds, it's just not a complete diet for them and they crave other types of foods, too.

We have plenty of space and during the growing season it's lush here, so we don't have a problem. Chickens can strip an area of vegetation just like a lot of different livestock species can, if you have more than the grazing area can support.

Usually, fencing them out of the garden works pretty well. If they've stripped the rest of the yard, though, that would make them more motivated to get into the garden.

 

[egg proof]

I threw in a cabbage to my girls the other day. Nothing left but the core by sundown. They attack me when they see me coming with a plate of pasta. If I don't remove the paper plate soon enough, they'll eat that too. 7 little disposals on the prowl.

 

[Moochie]

Quote:
They don't eat just grain and seeds. They also eat yogurt, rice cookies, bread, certain leftovers, mealworms, earthworms, dragonflies, tarantulas, bologna, pomegranite, watermelon, kimchi,
parts of the chicken I don't eat (like skin and cartilage), uncooked and cooked rice, cabbage and alot of different veggies. And mice or birds, whatever they can catch.

 

[emarble]

They will eat anything that they can chase down/ catch/ or steal from each other or the dog/cat if they can bully them out of it (Or you if they can look pittiful enough to get you to give it to them) Sometimes even things that are not really good for them!!

Ernie

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Moochie, it sounds like your chickens get a lot of variety in their diet. They must be really happy to get to enjoy so many different foods.

 

[rbredmond1]

How do you get them greens in the winter???

They love it, but we're cleaning the greens out of our own food to get it to them...or is that the way it's done. ;o)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Moochie just don't fall down in the pen with them in there. Also watch out for your dachshund they will eat anything just about. I go to the grocery and look for the greens marked down.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

You can also sprout grains until they leaf out. Check out some of the many discussions they've had here on sprouting. You can also grow wheat grass for them. Mine like that in the winter, too. You can grow any of the cereal grains as grass.