What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[Laxerbro322]

I don't move the coop to the garden. I usually pinch the heads off of the oldest plants then throw them in the run or when they range they find the grains. I thresh about 5 seeds off from every head of grain and put it them in a ziploc bag to sow later on. Later in the growing season I mostly thresh and store the seed for a winter-time scratch.

 

[lazy gardener]

Re: buying plants. (in response to comments previously re: 1 gal vs 3 gal shrubs.) I find that I get more bang for my buck, and feel that in the long run, I end up with healthier plants if I buy the smaller plants. They get into the ground at a younger age, and get to spread their roots and put on some serious growth at a younger age... compared to the older, larger plant who's roots may be crowded, even though it is in that larger pot. Also, a lot of times, you're paying extra for the perception that you're getting a larger plant, when in actuality, you're just paying for a larger pot and more potting soil. Often, herbs are sold in a pot with 3 or more seedlings in the pot... so that as they grow, the plant has a more rounded form. If you are able to buy those pots before the roots get all intertwined, you can separate those seedlings, and end up with 3 plants for the price of one pot.

 

[cwrite]

Quote: I'm definitely leaning towards planting the grapevine outside the run, but I'll persevere with the roses & butterfly bush for a while. Flowers taste so much nicer than feed, I'm sure. Or maybe they just look like they will taste nicer.

 

[PookieMavis]

Cwrite, ours eat everything too! We've got some weird purple berries that growat the back of the garden, not sure what they are but they gobble them year after year. It's quite cute watching them jump for the ones just out of their reach.

Strawberries in particular are never safe in our garden, the greedy girls scoffed the lot whilst they were barely pink last year, we didnt get a look in! Between them and the starlings eating all the cherries we don't get much luck with berries except the blackberries. The chooks don't seem to keen on them, but if you put the bowl down they'll gobble all the spiders and bugs etc sitting on the blackberries and tend to be very happy

 

[Arielle]

I don't move the coop to the garden. I usually pinch the heads off of the oldest plants then throw them in the run or when they range they find the grains. I thresh about 5 seeds off from every head of grain and put it them in a ziploc bag to sow later on. Later in the growing season I mostly thresh and store the seed for a winter-time scratch.

Ahhh, very clever.

The seeds must be very hardy and have a great germination rate to keep only 5 seeds per. OR do you replant in the same year and not hold those seed over the winter??

 

[Arielle]

Quote: LOL, clearly HOsta was worth trying here-- bite by bite the plants diminished in size, despite a full lawn to eat.

Let us know hwo the roses and butterfly bushes fair!

 

[Arielle]

Re: buying plants. (in response to comments previously re: 1 gal vs 3 gal shrubs.) I find that I get more bang for my buck, and feel that in the long run, I end up with healthier plants if I buy the smaller plants. They get into the ground at a younger age, and get to spread their roots and put on some serious growth at a younger age... compared to the older, larger plant who's roots may be crowded, even though it is in that larger pot. Also, a lot of times, you're paying extra for the perception that you're getting a larger plant, when in actuality, you're just paying for a larger pot and more potting soil. Often, herbs are sold in a pot with 3 or more seedlings in the pot... so that as they grow, the plant has a more rounded form. If you are able to buy those pots before the roots get all intertwined, you can separate those seedlings, and end up with 3 plants for the price of one pot.

OK, you convinced me, I will buy the smaller bare root apple trees and other fruit trees.

HOw do you prep the holes in our wonderful slighty acidic, rocky and shallow soils?

 

[papaclark]

This is my first growing season with chickens so I'm a little late getting started....so far spinach and lettuce are the only things far enough along to feed them, but I plan to give them beet tops, green beans, pea husks, corn and sunflowers when they're ready. Birds and bugs tend to get alot of my gardening efforts, (don't use any pesticides) so this year when the cut-worms attack my corn they'll be an added treat for the chickens. Squash bugs, and other large insects that I can grab will also go to them. Any fruit or veggies that are bad on the vine will be shared with the compost pit.

 

[Arielle]

Can pwdered sulfur be used to kill cut worms, or even prevent them?? I"m just guessing here, perhaps a pinch on the silks will prevent hte cut worms. --- total guess and would love to know if this works.

 

[papaclark]

Never tried powdered sulphur, a few different "oil" concoctions...garlic, vegetable, soaps, all applied to the silk, ...nothing 100% but the soaps seemed to most effective. Also have a problem with earwigs in the corn. Diatamacious(?) Earth was suggested for that...just dust them...haven't tried that. If it costs money, I'll have to pass. VERY limited income. No pesticides, no fertilizers. All homemade remedies.