What do you grow to feed the chickens??

[Arielle]

Hard to believe that winter will soon be here. We had an early cold night of 34 last night in a few towns north of us-- rather cold for this time of year. . . . . thinking we might have an extra cold winter.

IMO sprouts are good because of all the extra nutrition from the high vitamin content!!!

Glad you can get those to grow CHickadoodles!! Mine just spoil when I try to sprout. BUt If I spill a handfull on the ground and the bag sits on top, they sprout!! ROFL Clearly my method is way off!!! lol

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've thought about trying to sprout oats with a little dirt in the tray, maybe they'd actually sprout... then if I put something on them for weight, that would help.

If I try to sprout oats the same way I sprout everything else, about 10% will sprout and the rest will spoil.

Dirt might just be the answer.

 

[HerbGir1972]

Well I've planted nutrient packed collards, kale, mustards, & Asian greens for us but when I plant I over plant as to have some for the chickens as well. I'm also broadcasting more clover into their lawn area for when the free range.

and in 2015 we're planting marigolds of all sorts everywhere, as well as garlic & onion chives. good for the chickens & attracting pollenators & seasoning foods.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have seeds ready to go in the ground. I prepared a bed for them yesterday and today I need to rake it smooth so I can get my fall crops going.

 

[chickadoodles]

Arielle and Lacy, I just poured the seeds in the pan till it is about an inch deep.
Then I soak in water for 24 hrs the first day.
Second and third day I soak for an hour or as long as my chicken chores takes.
Then I just rinse and drain. I have 5 holes drilled in my pans for draining and to soak I have to set the pans in a larger pan to soak. But This is how Cynthia told me to grow them last year. And it works. You just have to leave the seeds in the pan till the roots are like a solid rug then you can turn them out and cut them up to share them around.

HerbGirl I could not get anything to grow this year and rather than loose everything again and have nothing I decided to use sprouts.

 

[LindaB220]

I've thought about trying to sprout oats with a little dirt in the tray, maybe they'd actually sprout... then if I put something on them for weight, that would help.

If I try to sprout oats the same way I sprout everything else, about 10% will sprout and the rest will spoil.

Dirt might just be the answer.

I did that. I read in an old book to spread a thick layer of soaked oats on top of tilled dirt maybe 4' x 6' and lightly cover with soil. Water daily and in a few days it will start coming up. He would take a shovel full of greens and soil and dump in the run. I didn't do that but I did pull up the greens and they were so tender. Chickens loved them.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I did that. I read in an old book to spread a thick layer of soaked oats on top of tilled dirt maybe 4' x 6' and lightly cover with soil. Water daily and in a few days it will start coming up. He would take a shovel full of greens and soil and dump in the run. I didn't do that but I did pull up the greens and they were so tender. Chickens loved them.

I'll do it outside if I have to but winter is coming and I want to perfect my sprouting skills on the oats indoors before winter hits so I'm thinking a little dirt in some trays underneath and over some soaked oats may do the trick.

Arielle and Lacy, I just poured the seeds in the pan till it is about an inch deep.
Then I soak in water for 24 hrs the first day.
Second and third day I soak for an hour or as long as my chicken chores takes.
Then I just rinse and drain. I have 5 holes drilled in my pans for draining and to soak I have to set the pans in a larger pan to soak. But This is how Cynthia told me to grow them last year. And it works. You just have to leave the seeds in the pan till the roots are like a solid rug then you can turn them out and cut them up to share them around.

HerbGirl I could not get anything to grow this year and rather than loose everything again and have nothing I decided to use sprouts.

This is something I will try too. Thank you.

 

[HerbGir1972]

We grew several bits of Sunfowers so we keep a few seed for 2015 and just toss the stalks with all the finished flowers in to them.
I've been pulling a couple stalks a day now for over 2 months. They love picking and pecking at the flower heads. I only had large heads on my first early crop though, seemed like the subsequent planting all rushed to be finished and bloom out, there fore they were shorter with smaller heads...beats me, they were from the same variety of seed...LOL...who knows
I will plant more next year, because the goats love then too, bothe the chickies and goate leave nothing but the big stalks, nothing else behind.

I also fed our chickens monarda & basil thru the summer. I think the basil has helped with the flies. In the beginning we just cleaned every 10 days, then I tested, waiting 14 days (our coop is really big so it really didn't need it but we did it on a schedule.) I started feeding basil 2X a week and there were no more flies, and it seemed lesser mosquitos than in the beginning.

this is a photo from about the middle of the coop to the back side, quite large, we had to keep the pesty flies and mosquitos down so the little ChickenMama could go in and visit with her chickies.

 

[LindaB220]

I'll do it outside if I have to but winter is coming and I want to perfect my sprouting skills on the oats indoors before winter hits so I'm thinking a little dirt in some trays underneath and over some soaked oats may do the trick.

This is something I will try too. Thank you.

I saw a video on youtube the other day and they lady did that with dirt and she used forage seeds. clover, etc.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: Your welcome. The first batch I did soured because I did not have any drain holes and not enough seeds, and while trying to empty the water out tipping it to one corner it make all the roots die that had started to grow.