What to grow in garden to supplement/replace feed?

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Sunflowers to supplement. Nothing replaces feed. Imo

Oh yeah, you wouldn’t want to replace their feed ever with one single thing. I was thinking more like “grow a few sunflowers, cut and dry the heads, throw in the run during the winter for a treat/amusement”.

 

[Magnumchicken]

This is what works for me.
In fall and spring I have alfalfa and brassicas. Summer soybean, garden extras like corn and tomato, and grass clippings. Winter, rye or wheat plants. 10 months a year bugs and worms.

Alfalfa. Has omegas that will make your eggs dark orange and taste great. Is also 30% protein, half that of steak. So it's like half steak and half veggies. Alfalfa will keep coming back for years too. Also for summer soybean plants, not seeds, are about the same. Chickens eat the leaves.

Kale. Lower protein but high in many vitamins. Any cheap brassica seeds you can plant. Again does well giving a late fall and early spring snack.

Wheat, rye. Plant in fall, will grow in coldest months and you can get them green stuff even in January. Whatever survives winter grazing will have heads on it following July. If your garden is dormant, might as well plant wheat in October and let chickens eat it until you plant the next spring.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

honesty what I did last year was just wait til the very end of season and usually the big box stores have all their veggie seedlings for free or almost free. then, just plant them around your coop and harvest for the girls. my other garden is for me heh

 

[AnnPann]

i plant giant yellow and orange marigolds, which my chickens won’t eat, but the blooms attract japanese beetles and the chickens definitely eat those!

 

[Sally PB]

i plant giant yellow and orange marigolds, which my chickens won’t eat, but the blooms attract japanese beetles and the chickens definitely eat those!

Oh, yeah, I got a LOT of JBs off my marigolds.

 

[DJ Chicken]

I live in Florida and my hens love papayas! My quail love them too. They are also easy to grow. The papayas help make the yolks bright orange too.