What to plant for forage?

[Jen F]

Quote:
Awesome idea. I have a parakeet also. Maybe I will try this.
Thanks
Jen

 

[BunnyMomma]

I planted seedless grapes a few years ago, and the chickens eat the grapes as they ripen and fall. As a bonus, the japanese beetles like the grapes, and the chickens eat them too! I plant extra tomatoes, spinach, lettuces, and watermelons to feed them later in the summer.

I almost forgot! We built the run 40x20 and it has a 25 foot apple tree on the end that provides shade and plenty of apples in June. The chickens love the apples and the bugs that get around them.

 

[Country Heart]

I planted rasberries, blueberries and blackberries last year - so this year should be the year for berries. But so far it's clear, they love the leaves!

 

[DawnCols]

I love it.

My chickens loved tomatoes from the garden last year. I hadn't thought of planting them their own. If I let it sprawl on the ground they can help themselves!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

If you want to feed birds, plant birdseed.
Just try to avoid a mix that has lots of cracked corn or rice

Most of it is millet and sunflower

 

[Wifezilla]

I have surrounded a few areas in the duck pen with wire and planted red clover inside. The ducks grab whatever grows through the wires. They also have a grape vine on the outside of their run. They get whatever leaves grow through the fence and some of them will eat fallen grapes. I get the rest.

 

[Titania]

Quote:
what a fabulous idea! so glad that I read this! I definitely want to give this thread a bump because it's exactly what I was looking for!

As for planting bird seeds, they sprout so easily you don't have to do much work. I have many bird feeders around the yard and they really sprout without any effort at all. You should have good success with that.

 

[Rusty's Ranch]

Just a note on the groworganic.com chicken forage blend ... I planted this mix in a very shady area a couple weeks ago. Looks like a good portion of the seed has sprouted. I can see the rye grass and clover for sure.

I also planted this mix in a couple of pots today to use inside the run so the girls would have something to destroy (I mean eat) while they are in the run.

Hope it works out for you

 

[DawnCols]

Rusty's Ranch :

Just a note on the groworganic.com chicken forage blend ... I planted this mix in a very shady area a couple weeks ago. Looks like a good portion of the seed has sprouted. I can see the rye grass and clover for sure.

That's good to know. Sunny spots are at a premium in my yard, where I grow veggies like they're going out of style.

Being a cheapskate, I balked at the shipping cost for the Omega3 mix (more than the product costs!). I was browsing around the garden store for clover and a fellow shopper advised me to reconsider for fear of alienating neighbors who wouldn't appreciate clover spreading into their yards. She said pasture foraging seeds were for farms, where no one cares about the lawn. Any thoughts? For now, I'll probably start with pots.

Rusty's Ranch :

In case your chickens dig up your seeds too fast, there were some interesting ideas posted recently about creating grass boxes. Basically, a frame with chicken wire (or similar) across the top. That way the grass can grow up through the mesh and the chickens can't get to the dirt to tear it all up.

I'd like to do the same for the cat grass indoors for my kitties. Potting soil on the carpet is such a nuisance

 

[duluthmom]

My girls are over the moon for dandelion greens! We have a shaded section of yard where the leaves grow huge few flowers. Seriously, they love nothing more.