Wintertime greens

[Sammster]

Sprouts! I sprouted barley and the chickens loved it, greens and roots.View attachment 4284988
View attachment 4284989

Would this be just barley you get at the grocery store? Or...?

 

[Sally PB]

Would this be just barley you get at the grocery store? Or...?

I ordered the barley from a place called The Mad Hatchery in Corunna, MI. Sadly, it's closed.

I don't know if the barley you can buy in the grocery store would sprout. This stuff has the hull on it.

Perhaps a feed store/farm supply store would have it? I'd want to make sure it wasn't treated with anything though.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Anything you can get to sprout. I prefer legumes and pulses over grains, of course. Clover, fenugreek, the above mung beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc. I've even tried a heritage broccoli used for making salad microgreens (they didn't care for it, I found them edible). Heck, you can just sprout a "salad microgreens" mix.

 

[Vicker]

I live in Texas, so there is usually some kind of green weed or rye grass growing, but this year I tried growing azolla in tubs. I'm trying to keep some alive on my 4-season patio, although it works well to grow a bunch in summer and store it in dried form for the winter.

 

[NatJ]

Leftover herbs and vegetables from whatever I cook. I had a bag of shredded lettuce go brownish, they got that yesterday along with an "expired" container of semi-dried parsley in the fridge. It was still fine.

The other day I made sausage potato kale soup, and only used half of the kale. They went crazy over the leftovers! I don't go out of my way to buy them their own vegetables, but I have been trying to buy a lot more fresh vegetables this winter for my own family to eat. My chickens get whatever we don't use.

That's how I do it, too. The chickens get the parts I don't want. Since they are less picky than me, everyone ends up content with that system.

Yesterday my chickens got the dinged-up outer leaves from romaine lettuce (my salad) and cabbage (my soup).

 

[Sammster]

Anything you can get to sprout. I prefer legumes and pulses over grains, of course. Clover, fenugreek, the above mung beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc. I've even tried a heritage broccoli used for making salad microgreens (they didn't care for it, I found them edible). Heck, you can just sprout a "salad microgreens" mix.

I have a ton of chickpeas. I ordered grains from Palouse, and they accidentally sent me a big bag of chickpeas. They sent the grains after I called them, and told me to keep the chickpeas. I'll try those first. I have broccoli seeds for microgreens. They're getting a bit old, but worth a try. I freeze dry the microgreens, powder them and use them in smoothies. Broccoli microgreens would be ok for the chickens, then?

 

[fldiver97]

I have a ton of chickpeas. I ordered grains from Palouse, and they accidentally sent me a big bag of chickpeas. They sent the grains after I called them, and told me to keep the chickpeas. I'll try those first. I have broccoli seeds for microgreens. They're getting a bit old, but worth a try. I freeze dry the microgreens, powder them and use them in smoothies. Broccoli microgreens would be ok for the chickens, then?

Broccoli raw or cooked is fine, broccoli sprouts are safe too.
I usually sprout too much and the chickens get sprouts every 5 or 6 days

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

I have a ton of chickpeas. I ordered grains from Palouse, and they accidentally sent me a big bag of chickpeas. They sent the grains after I called them, and told me to keep the chickpeas. I'll try those first. I have broccoli seeds for microgreens. They're getting a bit old, but worth a try. I freeze dry the microgreens, powder them and use them in smoothies. Broccoli microgreens would be ok for the chickens, then?

Dried Chick peas are big aren't they? You may half to crush them to break them in pieces.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'd make hummus. But I tend to see to myself first.

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

I'd make hummus. But I tend to see to myself first.

OK, I thought they were going to be chicken food! You will share won't you?