What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[Lacy Blues]

George, I think you're probably one of the most "thoughtful" persons I have ever had the pleasure to "meet." You always bring things into perspective and cause me to think about things I hadn't considered before. Thank you so much.


I don't know if any of you have seen this short video but this is what I have been thinking about doing for my birds. I live in the desert and there is almost NO vegetation except for some sage brush. Nor is there any shade, unless I provide it... so this would work well for my situation.

The plastic they use would need to be perforated for drainage and the space underneath provides shade and maybe a little bit of moisture. I would build grazing frames for the top so the chickens couldn't tear up the roots and I'd have a drip line sprinkler system put on it. I don't need watering duties on top of everything else I need to accomplish at dusk. I would probably also make a hoop structure over the top to attach shade cloth to just shade the plantings a bit. Our summer sun is a killer. I have a load of pallets that I've been collecting and hope this will be a successful part of some larger yards for my birds to run around in.

 

[ChickenMomma91]

i grow head lettice and when it gets ready to cut i hang it up in my chicken house and let them peck at it they really love it and its gone in just a couple of mini hang abut 3 or 4 at a time and it gives them something to do so they want be bored when there in the coop and if you have chickens pecking eachother it will make them stop i think its a really good idea and my chickens love it

you gave me an idea. i remember my rabbit from years ago having a wire ball for hay that we hung in the hutch. she loved it so much that we ended up buying a new one cause she ripped it down playing with it

 

[gjensen]

George, I think you're probably one of the most "thoughtful" persons I have ever had the pleasure to "meet." You always bring things into perspective and cause me to think about things I hadn't considered before. Thank you so much.


I don't know if any of you have seen this short video but this is what I have been thinking about doing for my birds. I live in the desert and there is almost NO vegetation except for some sage brush. Nor is there any shade, unless I provide it... so this would work well for my situation.

The plastic they use would need to be perforated for drainage and the space underneath provides shade and maybe a little bit of moisture. I would build grazing frames for the top so the chickens couldn't tear up the roots and I'd have a drip line sprinkler system put on it. I don't need watering duties on top of everything else I need to accomplish at dusk. I would probably also make a hoop structure over the top to attach shade cloth to just shade the plantings a bit. Our summer sun is a killer. I have a load of pallets that I've been collecting and hope this will be a successful part of some larger yards for my birds to run around in.

That was a kind thing to say, but I am not sure that I agree with you.

I wondered about kudzu in your case. I wondered if you could keep the crowns alive (through the winter). How deep does the ground freeze? It is not like you would have to worry about it getting away from you.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Of course you disagree but I'm here to tell you YOU"RE WRONG. You are very thoughtful and very helpful.

I've never even heard of kudzu... off to look it up!

OK, I'm back. That was very interesting. I only looked at wikipedia and glanced at a couple pictures. Looking at what the plant does for a body... I should eat it.... tinnitus, vertigo, etc.

Anyway. Thanks for the tip. I'll find out more and see if it can be grown here.

 

[Lacy Blues]

oh, the ground doesn't freeze. not enough moisture, except in places. If I was watering something constantly (or occasionally) I'm sure the ground would freeze. I think code for buried water pipes is three feet for the occasional winter when we get a lot of moisture and then mercury plummets!

 

[gjensen]

Of course you disagree but I'm here to tell you YOU"RE WRONG. You are very thoughtful and very helpful.

I've never even heard of kudzu... off to look it up!

OK, I'm back. That was very interesting. I only looked at wikipedia and glanced at a couple pictures. Looking at what the plant does for a body... I should eat it.... tinnitus, vertigo, etc.

Anyway. Thanks for the tip. I'll find out more and see if it can be grown here.

It is a legume, and in the pea family. It is uncontrollable in the southeast. It will literally take over. With plenty of rain, it can grow a foot per day. You could contain it there, but I do not know if you can keep it alive over the winter.

 

[Mio0605]

I must come back and read this entire thread!

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

We have a mid field that we have designated for our hens. This year we are planting kale, field peas and millet. We will then rotate them over it with mobile coops and use poultry netting.

I am growing sunflower seeds this year. Because the seed it RIDICULOUS I am buying a back of blag sunflower seed for birds. It has proven to have a 70% germination rate in the past. I will allow the heads to dry down as much as I can (and they don't all the way here in Oregon), then I will take the heads to the greenhouse where we will not have any starts, close it up and cook the heck out of them. They are terrible to harvest and if you do not they will rot, so we will roll the heads up in a tarp and drive over them several times. I will put up the harvest for winter and mainly breeding season.

I will have a deep little area I will rotate hens through (this is our farm fertility for the next year). Yes micropbials are food too.

We gather all the fallen goodies from our neighbors 25 greenhouses as well as all overgrown squashes, old corn, and pumpkins. Although this takes time it is fee and abundant. I spend about 15 minutes a day and come back with probably 5 totes.

I've been thinking of quinoa this year. I think it's going to be hot. I would plant in the field and release the birds over it one bed at a time in fall before the rains, allowing it to dry down naturally.

We are working out the kinks for a sprouted grains system used for the deep litter area and we ferment our feed. We use Scratch and Peck feeds. Check them out. Their food is not baked pellets but cracked grains and meal!

Love all these ideas!

 

[gjensen]

Sunflowers is an excellent supplement to grow for the birds. Easy to grow and harvest. I have also had good luck with getting it to sprout and grow.

The white millets, like proso, is also easy to grow, and harvest. It is very fast to mature.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you want to grow a plant that makes a huge statement, try sorghum, or milo. I grew it last year, and it grew 10' tall. Every day, I'd pull down a head and just leave it bent over on the ground. The flock would attack it.