What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[Arielle]

Quote:

I love double duty plants: human and chicken food; eat both leaves and the seeds!!!

 

[Mah1Mah1]

I WAS growing strawberries, then the rabbit & the chooks got to them... no more strawberries D:

 

[Arielle]

THey must have tasted yummmmmmmy!

 

[lazy gardener]

I didn't think rape and flax are even in the same family. I believe that rape is in the brassica family... related to cabbage. I think rape seed is used to make canola oil, but that's a guess dredged from the memory banks... may not be accurate. But I think flax is an entirely different family. Chickens should like either one.

 

[Arielle]

I can see why the taxanomic names can be beneficial!!! lol Only one name for a plant!! lol WWWill look up rape and flax for more information a bit later-- right now a storm is rolling in-- hurricane Arthur!!

Raced to get in more tomatos yesterday. hmm wonder where the beans are . . . .

 

[chickadoodles]

I can see why the taxanomic names can be beneficial!!! lol Only one name for a plant!! lol WWWill look up rape and flax for more information a bit later-- right now a storm is rolling in-- hurricane Arthur!!

Raced to get in more tomatos yesterday. hmm wonder where the beans are . . . .

How many tomatoes do you have left? I would have thought you had all those 90+ planted already... lol just kidding. I could not plant that many in a month! lol
I am trying to trade some seeds with bamadude his tomatoes take up his whole hand and he is offering seeds to anyone that wants some, but I felt like a trade would be fair.So I offered some seeds I bought this year and have not used.

 

[Arielle]

I had purchase some 30 tomato varieties some 3years ago. So I have those seeds that I keep planting, as ther is such a variety. I've lost the packets and it driving me nuts. I've looked everywhere today. I want to get a good 15 determinates of the canning type planted as I figure they still have enough time. THe first ones I planted were those requiring the longest season to grow.

I did get all those purchased plants in-- took two sessions. I showed the kids how to plant them and I dug the holes. THey are Chatty Cathy's when they talk to each other and entertain each other while working. Maybe I can coin a new term : Chatty CHads . . . lol

 

[chickadoodles]

I hope you find the seeds.

I know a few years ago when I had my huge garden I got very overwhelmed trying to keep up putting up all the vegies every day. I don't ever want a garden that large again. But I do love growing a few things to eat and some just for fun.
I love you new term "Chatty Chads"!

 

[dazookeyper]

Tomatoes, spaghetti squash, basil, garlic, nasturim, marigolds, sunflowers of all kinds, parsley, sage & mint. Getting a rototiller the first of the week and bought seeds to start cucumber, collards, kale, summer squash, peas, beans and oregano. Have broccoli started too but they will have to share that with my 14 year old.

 

[lazy gardener]

My chickens get it all. When the garden season winds down, and I've harvested about all that I want, I reposition the electronet fencing so it surrounds the garden, and turn the girls loose in it. This is the second season that i've had chickens, so they've only gleaned the garden once. They are great at digging up the potatoes that I miss. They dig them up, and leave them for me! But, I've already noticed a big difference in garden pests. Only one cutworm, compared to dozens last year, only a couple of chafer larvae, compared to dozens last year. No where near as many slugs and snails. The chickens won't touch potato bugs or larvae, but, I've been able to hand pick all of the beasties and their eggs this season... last year, I couldn't make a dent in the potato bugs, and had to resort to use of Sevin. And, I have way less time available for bug patrol this year. Not as many cucumber beetles, or grass hoppers either. It remains to be seen how the squash bugs reproduce. My chickens won't touch them either.