What greens do you grow to feed your chickens?

[Ms Kurtis]

I normally feed pellets However; as in food products for humans, I anticipate higher prices and want to be prepared, so have bought some oyster shell and grit to supplement with greens I want to grow to feed the chickens. What winter green do you grow to supplement feeding your chickens? Thanks in advance!

 

[Sequel]

My chickens have the run of the veggie garden during the winter and they love to nibble on Kale, Swiss chard, cabbage leaves and weeds! The kale plants are 2 to 3 feet tall so they won’t hurt them, I’ll still be able to harvest until a bad killing frost.

 

[Ms Kurtis]

My chickens have the run of the veggie garden during the winter and they love to nibble on Kale, Swiss chard, cabbage leaves and weeds! The kale plants are 2 to 3 feet tall so they won’t hurt them, I’ll still be able to harvest until a bad killing frost.

Thank you!

 

[CatsandCrops]

Carrot and radish tops are a fan favorite right now as we finish up the fall harvest. An early dusting of snow killed off a lot of our kale but we still have a handful of plants going strong so they get a few handfuls a day too.

I felt bad that all spring/summer they got weeds and treats from the garden and in the winter, essentially nothing but 184628 feet of snow so I started growing fodder. I'm currently growing wheatgrass and will look into barley next (it was insanely high priced at the time we were buying - maybe it'll creep back down)

 

[Nigel27]

I harvest and dry nettle to give them once and a while in the winter, when the plants start to die i start sprouting buckets of lentils and wheat and whatever I’ve got to sprout, it’s pretty fast by the wood stove. I ferment the wheat for a couple days after it sprouts. I also add seaweed to the coop, I know they love prepared seaweed, not sure if they actually like it fresh. I will do more types of sprouts throughout the winter most likely

 

[Sally PB]

I dried a bunch of stinging nettle too. I haven't given them any yet; still have a few fresh greens left. I'm also growing some alfalfa sprouts for them. Next I'll try some chia, see how that does. If it works, my five pound bag from Costco will last me a looooong time!

 

[Sequel]

There is a thread about sprouting fodder, I think it was @gtaus . It is quite entertaining! He made a tower with dish pans and hid it in the extra bathroom from his wife. He really had it figured out!

 

[OreoH]

I grow a lot of things, but mostly bok choy. That probably sounds kind of random, but you really only need one bag to get started. I have bunnies too, so bok choy is really useful. You buy a bag and then you cut the end off (maybe an 1 or 1.5 inch), and then put it in water so the top isn't wet but the bottom is submerged. Then, you give it a spray or too with water each day and about 1-2 weeks later you have an entire new bok choy plant.

 

[Ms Kurtis]

There is a thread about sprouting fodder, I think it was @gtaus . It is quite entertaining! He made a tower with dish pans and hid it in the extra bathroom from his wife. He really had it figured out!

Thanks very much! I'll check that out.

 

[HollyWoozle]

We have a lot of kale and rocket this year so usually give a little to the chickens and they really enjoy both, just as a supplement to their standard feed.