What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[lazy gardener]

Say it ain't so!!!!! Before last winter, they were saying that we had all moved up a zone! I'm sprouting a few more seeds this weekend. cilantro, cucumber, zuccchini, chinese cabbage, and basil. What I can tuck into little nooks and crannies, I will, while the rest of the stuff will go into pots waiting for spots to open up. Hoping that the fall frosts hold off long enough for this stuff to produce for me. One of my RCBL keeps finding her way into the garden. Surprisingly, after a day of unsupervised play in the garden yesterday, I didn't find any damage done by her. She's not the brightest crayon in the box, and may have spent the entire day shoving her head through the electronet between her run and the garden... and getting zapped. Perhaps when she starts laying, her eggs will already be fried!

 

[Arielle]

Normally I have my seeds in the ground the end of April or first of May not this year! We all kept getting hit by polar vortex's! But that may be the new normal..

I think we are in for crazy weather-- more volitile year to year. Perhaps more flexibility in when we plant and what we plant.

 

[Arielle]

Say it ain't so!!!!! Before last winter, they were saying that we had all moved up a zone! I'm sprouting a few more seeds this weekend. cilantro, cucumber, zuccchini, chinese cabbage, and basil. What I can tuck into little nooks and crannies, I will, while the rest of the stuff will go into pots waiting for spots to open up. Hoping that the fall frosts hold off long enough for this stuff to produce for me. One of my RCBL keeps finding her way into the garden. Surprisingly, after a day of unsupervised play in the garden yesterday, I didn't find any damage done by her. She's not the brightest crayon in the box, and may have spent the entire day shoving her head through the electronet between her run and the garden... and getting zapped. Perhaps when she starts laying, her eggs will already be fried!

ROFL Poor girl!

Glad you mentioned you are still planting seeds-- I bough more seed on sale yesterday on a whim, and then started to chicken out

this morning-- I"m going ahead with plans!!

green beans, beets
arugala( try it in the greenhouse)
sage
big parsely
common sage
bloomsdale spinach
double choice hybrid s pinach
true lavender
rosemary

A few are to go ON the chickens at roasting time rather than IN the chickens. ANd the green beans I grow on a fence to provide shade , especially come July and AUgust. Well, guesss they wont really be useful for July, but will be up for august ! I often use the grow out pen in that area for the poults.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you keep the seedlings watered, and are able to keep the chickens and bugs from eating them, you should be fine. I believe that Arugula is a cold weather crop. And of course the spinach is. So you might want to grow those where they'll have some extra shade. The rule of thumb is to plant your succession crops in July or August (depending on days to maturity) to get good growth before the days get shorter.

 

[Arielle]

THank you, that is good to know. Was never sure on the timing of the fall crops. Seems peculiar to plant in the hottest months for a cool crop . . .

 

[KristineY]

My chickens love rape (flax). A friend gave me the seeds that she bought from a Thai market. The chickens got into it after it bolted and flowered and they devoured it. I've been growing it for them ever since (along with beet greens, kale, and a mix of field greens and herbs

 

[Arielle]

My chickens love rape (flax). A friend gave me the seeds that she bought from a Thai market. The chickens got into it after it bolted and flowered and they devoured it. I've been growing it for them ever since (along with beet greens, kale, and a mix of field greens and herbs

What a wonderful discover!! Is the rape easy to grow??

 

[KristineY]

What a wonderful discover!!  Is the rape easy to grow??

Yes! Direct sow the seeds. It grows as easy as any of the other greens. It will bolt in the summer (which probably makes it less desirable for people that eat it, but the chickens love the flowers! I'm fairly certain Territorial Seed Co sells rape seeds. If not check online.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Thanks for the seed source.

AM I understanding this right-- people can eat the leaves of this plant : rape/ flax?????

 

[KristineY]

Thanks for the seed source.

AM I understanding this right-- people can eat the leaves of this plant : rape/ flax?????

Yes, it's like a cabbage green. Check Urban Farmer seeds "dwarf Essex rape". It's pretty much the same varietal that I got from the Asian market in NY