What to plant in the garden for the chickens?

[Kansaseq]

I tried doing a search, but either I'm not very good at using it, or it 's not working well today. Anyway, what is best to grow for the chooks?

 

[Katy]

I don't grow anything specifically for them, but they get all the garden leftovers....they eat it all.

 

[pacetruckguy]

I have heard they love Swiss Chard.

 

[bantiesrule]

I've been wondering about this also. Can you dry swiss chard so they have something in the winter months? Anything else that can be dried and stored for winter?

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

mine LOVE zuchini, cucumbers & watermelon

 

[fldiver97]

swiss chard, kale, beets (I let them have the greens). Check for cold tolerant greens/varieties that you can start early and then have late crop that will tolerate first frosts....I gave kale and cabbage and spinach for greens during winter, had frozen a lot of berries and they got all the vegetable scraps as well. My friend gave me her scraps as well so we had a decent supply. For this winter I will try sprouting stuff though

 

[chickenwhisperer]

I just removed a row of border bricks from the chicken yard, and filled the nice long "hole" with corn and sunflower seed and some good topsoil on top.

In a few months, I should have some nice free treats for the chickens, and hopefully a little more barrier for the neighbors(they like the chickens).

I also plan to plant some mustard greens and a few squashes, the chickens can have all the leftovers and trimming from those as well, but not free access.

I think the best thing I can plant is lotsa grass seed to keep the lawn up, they really love to eat it.
I have 2 big hens freeranging now, but the 40 babies are growing quickly and learning to forage.
I plan to keep 10-12 hens on 3200sqft of lawn, I want the lawn to keep up.

 

[PAJerry]

I'm planting 6 plants of Bocking #4 comfrey and a 20ft. row of stinging nettle. Comfrey is somewhat controversial, but it will only be a minor part of their diet and I'm not concerned. Stinging nettle is a great source of plant protein and nutrition and is perennial. The areas both of these things are going into are a nuisance to mow anyway, and I am all in favor of reducing lawn area. They will also get lots of garden weeds and leftovers. Last year I grew cabbage for winter feeding and that worked out well, but I'm waiting to see how much room I have after the important vegetables before committing to it this year.

 

[Kansaseq]

Great suggestions, guys, thanks!

 

[Irish Ridge]

Our chickens loved getting into our tomatoe plants last year.