What to plant for free range chickens

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
Just keep in mind that even the hardiest pasture grasses will die when overgrazed and overcrowded. Pasture management is important in almost every instance and on small lots that includes time off the grass. You don't necessarily have to leave them off it for days at a time, you might rather, once you reestablish the growth, put them on for fewer hours per day, for instance.

Layer feed does not encourage dark yolks, greens produce the color so until you get that back in their diet they will -- literally -- pale in comparison.

 

[fl_deb]

What about the salad greens/sprouts (grown fron seeds) that you can sprout in the mason jars?? I personally have not tried this yet because I still have lots of grass and weeds, but alphalfa(sp?), mung beans, and many more can be bought and sprouted within 5 - 7 days.

I also feed mine any greens (millet I believe) that come up from composting their litter, that sometimes has scratch in it.


I also have saved the clumping type grass that has grown in the flower beds and flower pots (container gardening) that they seem to loved to get into- it is the grass that looks like it will have sandspurs but it is not really sandspurs, just the way the grass grows and looks.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
Thanks for the idea I think that might work I am also going to cut the front grass and rake it up and take it to the back yard for them DH got rid of the bag attachment to our lawn mower I was going to plant some flowers under our mini wind mill I think I will pull that grass and give it to them I am also going to build a portable tractor that I can take to the front yard and move around so they can go out front and scratch around a couple hours each day and then that should give the grass a chance to grow back. Thanks again for all the great ideas, with all the work we have been doing in the back yard and moving things and the chickens free ranging the grass did not stand much of a chance so I will be working on this for the summer and seeing what I can do to fix problem. Are there any flowers that I could start and put in containers and put back there for them to eat that are not harmful to them. anyone have ideas on flowers. thanks

 

[twentynine]

Good luck with that!

This is what I have. I have ten chickens in a 20X30 run. The run is divided into 3 equal 10X20 subruns. each sub run is planted with millet, rye grass, turnips, clover, rape and bahayia grass. I take about 1 month for the grasses to sprout and mature enough to graze the chickens. However it only takes 4 or 5 days for the chickens to graze it to almost nothing.

So unless you got acres and can exclude the chickens from parts of it, I'd say your channces of actually growing something while exposed to the chickens is nill.

 

[noodleroo]

I like this subject!

I'm in the process of converting my 'lawn' to useful garden. I've discovered 'lasagna gardening' and love it. Google it; its about making layers of newspaper or cardboard, grass, straw, vegetable scraps etc to make raised beds.

I'm also planting things that grow prolifically like dandelions, chickweed, plantain and other 'invasive' species for food and medicine making. You can purchase seeds from one of my favorite companies, mountainroseherbs.com, for a medicinal garden and I believe that your chickens will know what to eat when they have a choice.

Nature has a way of taking care of all if we just pay attention; The things that grow with little or no effort usually have some major benefit to our health and wellbeing. Research it for yourselves- its really interesting.

 

[pongoid]

hello everyone, I am new and live in South Dakota.
This is all very interesting we have plenty of grass and grasshoppers out here on the plains so I am not worried about pasturing the chickens.

What I am worried about is getting them to transition from their commercial feed (they are 6 weeks old) to wild food.
Also, what can I throw away at them? Vegetable peelings and lettuce? Are potato peelings poisonous to chickens? I know they have some residual natural toxin. Can I throw old popcorn at them?

Can I feed them eggshells?

 

[Grand-hen-ma]

I get the rye grass seed at Home Depot. Here in Florida, at this time of year, all we have is summer rye. I got mine in the garden department by the regular grass seed.

Yes you can plant it in the ground. Here in Florida the stuff practically grows over night. The seed is not very expensive either. I had no idea chickens ate grass and weeds until I saw my girls mow the lawn for me.

The lady I got my girls from said she hangs a head of lettuce or cabbage in the pen and the chickens go nuts. I tried it and mine love it. I have found out that my girls don't like potatoes, jalapino peppers, strawberries, oranges and celery. They go crazy when I bring them spaghetti or old cherry tomatoes, rice and other veggies. Their ultimate favorite to eat is grapes and corn on the cob. I give them an apple and they will peck it until every speck is gone. They also love melon, any kind of melon. I'm growing mamouth sunflowers and when they are ready, I'll put the entire seed head in with the girls. What the chickens and dogs don't eat I put in the compost.

I also heard feeding chickens egg shells encourages them to eat their eggs. I don't know if that's true or not. I use the egg shells in the compost, just to be on the safe side.

Hope this helps.

 

[pongoid]

Thanks Colette.

 

[rittert3]

I didn't read back so this may be repeat. I would plant Proso Millet (mcmurry hatchery carries this it's also known as broomcorn by some nursery and seed companies) and Milo. These grow quick and the birds love them. also brome or some other pasture grasses.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

What I am worried about is getting them to transition from their commercial feed (they are 6 weeks old) to wild food.

All that's required is to turn them loose.
They know what to eat.​