What about winter greens?

[brittany4]

My chickens are in a coop all the time bc our dog has yet to adjust to them. I pick alot of greens and clover grass anything to make a mix for them to eat bc they have pick there coop clean. Just wondering how i might get them fresh greens during winter. Was thinking of planting diff grasses in my garage with a grow light. Has anyone done this? How well will grasses grow in the winter with just a grow light for light and heat? I also just got a full size stand up freezer has anyone ever froz garden plants to keep for winter.Im i crazy for even thinking about this?

 

[ktn65]

Well. you may be crazy, I don't know.

BUT, one year my wife thought it would be cool to have actual grass in the kids Easter baskets. So in Feb/March she put some potting soil in shallow pots and planted Kentucky Blue Grass. It worked But she did keep it inside as the garage temps were too cold.

So it can be done.

 

[brittany4]

im going to do some digging find out what plants are winter hardy and try those out also thought about a fall crop of diffrent greens and can freeze them as well i just love my chickens.

 

[Den in Penn]

Have you thought about doing fodder? With the set up in the garage you were thinking of it would convert to a fodder system well enough.

 

[vehve]

I'm thinking the negative side of the garage would be that you get no sunlight there. The cost of supplying sufficient light would be enormous. There's a reason marijuana growhouses steal their electricity.

 

[Den in Penn]

Another reason a fodder set up would be better it only needs large amount of light the last day or two to develop the chlorophyll. Growing adult plants and keeping them healthy does take much more energy.

 

[brittany4]

i will look into this