What to plant/sow in “resting” chicken yard?

[TanyaTS]

Hello - my chickas have a huge pasture for supervised only free ranging, their enclosed run with pine straw floor for when we are not home, and a movable fenced yard for when we are home but not right with them. I have been rotating their yards. Question: what should I sew to replenish the yard not in use? I don’t want to use any kind of treated grass seed. Any tips?
thanks!

 

[TanyaTS]

Hello - my chickas have a huge pasture for supervised only free ranging, their enclosed run with pine straw floor for when we are not home, and a movable fenced yard for when we are home but not right with them. I have been rotating their yards. Question: what should I sew to replenish the yard not in use? I don’t want to use any kind of treated grass seed. Any tips?
thanks!

 

[TanyaTS]

Umm duh - SOW

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

The girls will like most greenery, but clover may be a good choice based on its nitrogen-fixing properties, higher protein level, and the fact that it works well enough as “lawn”.

 

[leslielbk]

I have the same question. I haven't rotated the yard though and there's only a little bit left for them to forage. The rest has turned to dirt. I have to do something! The fence is moveable so I'll do that while I seed the bare yard. It's there a variety I could try? I'm in Florida and spring's coming in a week or so.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I’m planning on sowing some white Dutch clover this spring as it’s on the shorter side and more “lawn like”.

Other varieties grow bigger, which may provide more total fodder, if that’s more your goal.

 

[leslielbk]

What a great idea! I wonder if I could mix some marigold seed in there?

 

[TanyaTS]

I will do clover - thanks!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

What a great idea! I wonder if I could mix some marigold seed in there?

I’d guess any annual seed that grows in your area would be good to mix in! Nice for the flock, the pollinators, and the soil.

 

[paintedChix]

There are several seed companies that sell "chicken mix" seed or varients. Usually they are mixes.

There are many good cover crops that would work for chickens - and you can do a mix of those that would work in your areas.

It was mentioned in another thread that one person went out and bought 50# bags of "wild bird seed" and sowed that. Came up gangbusters and was a mix the pastured chickens went crazy over. Much, much less costly then buying the other seed types.