What *cheap* plants can you plant for chickens to eat!???

[tiffanyg2]

What are you putting in the yard for the chickens to eat on??

 

[ailurophile23]

I planted an open section of garden with rye, oats, clover, millet, buckwheat, and alfalfa - I bought 1 lb of seed of each kind and mixed it myself - VERY cheap.

 

[suzettex5]

I planted a bunch of different kinds of lettuce, a few extra tomato plants, cabbage, cauliflower, shallots, anything grassy and cheap as well. I keep the plants in a fenced area though and they only get what I give them until season is over and then I'll let them clean up the left overs! Oh and they love brussles sprout leaves!

 

[lizage]

I have some of the above mentioned as well as summer and winter squash and pumpkins planned. I have read that the winter squash (which stores well) is very good for them through the winter months.

 

[lizage]

And a heck of a lot of cabbage!

 

[tiffanyg2]

Thanks~this is going to be a fun thread!!! I want to make a section for them of plants they can eat~ since they just devoured my tomato plants yesterday. I will start making a list to get from the store!! and maybe it can save some of my pretty plants

 

[Imp]

I used to plant sugar snap peas. Split the pea pods with the chickens, and they got the leaves as well.

Imp

 

[chickmashnoon]

This year I'm gonna try Chayote squash- it's not hardy in my zone, but it grows very quickly. My MIL grew one last year and it covered her whole arbor over the porch. I've read you can eat the greens as well as the fruit so I'm assuming they will be okay for the chickens. The garden itself is for me

but I may let them in to feast on the bugs.

I was looking into possibly growning something to supplement their feed over the winter but I havent planted anything yet. I'm taking notes from the rest of you . . .

 

[Nicole01]

Mine love weeds, especially dandelions.

 

[FiveHens]

We were looking at spreading low-grade bird seed in the chickens' run while they'll be out of it for a while. Low grade bird seed=millet and sunflowers. It's cheap, it grows quickly.