Too many greens?

[Justahannah]

I've been letting my 10 week old chicks get a few hours of free-range time in every day in the morning and evening, and when I let them out they go straight for the dandelions (which make up at least half of my yard). They also eat the clover, mint, my hostas, pretty much everything they can get their little beaks on, but dandelions are by far the favorite. They have constant access to flock raiser crumbles and water in the run (as well as their share of leftovers and produce, and I supplement their water with vitamins), but the way they rush out and start snatching up dandelions you'd thing they were being totally deprived any food and are starving to death. Is this normal and am I lucky to have such good little weed eaters or is it indicative of them not getting enough of something? Also, is it possible for them to eat too many greens? I notice sometimes they'll have liquid waste but it comes and goes and varies from chick to chick, there doesn't seem to be any illness going around so I'm guessing it's dietary. Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Erica]

Hi Justahannah,
dandelions are an amazing food. I wouldn't worry at all. They're getting free natural vitamins and know it.
cheers
Erica

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I would say that since they have so many options available to them, if they chose the dandelions, it probably isn't a problem. Chicken tastes are interesting aren't they? I planted this salad mix in my garden last year that had about 5 kinds of lettuces in it. One of them was a really peppery,bitter kale and one was a really mild buttery lettuce with the rest sort of in between. Most of my family didn't want more than a few bites of the kale in with their salads, much preferring the milder varieties, but the chickens turned their beaks up at the lettuce, preferring by far the kale. At the end of the summer, I had so much extra kale that I picked it all, chopped it up and froze it. The chickens enjoyed it from time to time all winter long.

 

[Justahannah]

Thank you! I had some swiss chard go to seed last season and it came back this year..it's already too leggy and bitter for me to enjoy but the chicks have been going for that as well. I'll just count myself lucky that they like the greens we don't .

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Stuff some in the freezer and your chickens can have a treat long after the dandelions are gone.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Let them have all the green feed they want. They'll balance it out.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Free ranging chickens will not overdo it on greens.

There are what's called "caecal poos," which are approximately every 8 poos. They are liquid. That is normal.

Here's the poo page:
http://chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[Justahannah]

That is so informative! Thank you

 

[humphrey farms]

Thatn isngreat to know as my chickens do the same.. I thought they were getting too much greens and fruits!