What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[Arielle]

We fence off a part of the run for a while in spring and grow feed corn. When it is tall enough we let the chickens in. They like to hang out between the plants and get to eat the corn when it is ripe

Do they bother the growing corN? DO they scratch and weed? How high is the corn before letting in the chickens?

 

[Arielle]

THe radishes and letuce have been picked for about a week now. THe once tasty radish leaves taste horrible very quickly, but I tossed a few to the chickens and they ate them!!! No waste: we eat the root, chickens the top! WIn-win!

 

[Angelicisi]

Is there anything that I can grow in river silt for the hens?

 

[Arielle]

WOw , you have river silt. Traditional this was regarded as the richest soil, the soil that improved the lands in the flood areas next to rivers.

HOnestly I don't know your growing area at all. Maybe someone else will chime in with a suggestion. My first thought is what wouldn't grow in river silt. PErhaps contact the extension agency in your area?

 

[Angelicisi]

It's soooo cheap here lol we are on the Mississippi river in Louisiana. The land is very rich. We fight the growth of nature constantly! The vines here EAT trees in a season can take out a 100 year Oak. But I love it.

We cleared a small area for the chickencoop on a hill in view in case we need a shot at a predator (EVERYTHING wants to eat a chicken here lol)
We filled the cleared area in and leveled it out with 4 yards of riversilt. This works as the coops floor also. Super easy clean up and doesn't wash away in our regular thunderstorms that can flood. But its only the silt. Mixing it in soil in pots is awesome. But mix soil in the bed we made it washes out after a rain or too and looks and smells. No smell from the silt.

I tried multiple lettuces, nothing. It's got great drainage but its pure sand. I grow in pure perilite and coco but sand seems to crush no? I want to grow a solid row of anything in this area lol Corn would be my fav. It can be blocked off from the girls. The free range dawn to dusk and don't bother the area until they lay or have a drink and its back out to battle the vines! I have to say the vines at the base of a tulip tree here that I toss the hens treats under has zero vines climbing it! Lol their great weed warriors.

WOw , you have river silt.  Traditional this was regarded as the richest soil, the soil that improved the lands in the flood areas next to rivers. 

HOnestly I don't know your growing area at all. Maybe someone else will chime in with a suggestion. My first thought is what wouldn't grow in river silt.  PErhaps contact the extension agency in your area?

 

[Arielle]

THewy are great weed warriors!! My gardens planted before chickens arrived have been nearly wiped out! lol

I thought river silt was a fine soil type mattter.Apparently not. If it is a rock type I can't see that as being suitable for most plants to grow. Maybe better suited as a cover to keep weeds down. Again, I'm not familiar with river silt, just going by your info.

LEttuce is a bit delicate on the seed emerging scale; perhaps try corn, or bush beans.THough the plant will need a nutrient base to feed off of.

 

[TheGoodLifeGirl]

We plant Nasturtian and let dandilions take over part of the garden. Carrots, Radish and Cauliflower seem to be some of their favourites too.

 

[Arielle]

Do you grow lots of cool climate types of vegetables??

 

[deserthomestead]

Anyone have suggestions on what to grow in a desert climate? So far I have sunflowers and some pumpkin plants.

 

[TheGoodLifeGirl]

Do you grow lots of cool climate types of vegetables??

Some we grow inside the house, others we've managed to plant outside and bring them in or cover when it gets too cold.