Wyoming Unite!!!!

[RhondaSue]

R2Elk, I hear chicken love to eat marigolds I was going to plant some today just to pick and give them later when the are outside. Could you give me your opinion? Do chicken like eating marigolds? Is this a good idea?

 

[R2elk]

R2Elk, I hear chicken love to eat maigos. I was going to plant some today just to pick and give them later when the are outside. Could you give me your opinion? Do chicken like eating marigos? Is this a good idea?

I am having a problem with this post because i don't know what a maigo or a marigo is? At first I thought maybe you meant mangoes which is likely that chickens would like since they like fruit but you can't grow mangoes here. Then I though that perhaps that you meant marigolds but I have no idea whether chickens would eat marigolds or if they would even be good for them.

My chickens eat a lot of grass. I start feeding them short clippings while they are in the brooder. They eat seeds from a number of different grasses and flowers. Mine seem to love tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, squash, pumpkin and even cooked beets. I am sure if given the opportunity that they would clean out my lettuce also. Any small berries that they can reach get devoured also. I even throw them rose hips when available. Any of my plums that hit the ground disappear very quickly.

BTW mine also love any mice or voles they can find and catch. Even small birds can find my poultry hazardous to their health. Before I had poultry here, I had snakes and lizards but the poultry have cleaned them out or at least made it so they stay out of sight for fear for their lives.

The one thing to remember about giving treats to poultry is to make sure that all of the treats together do not amount to more than 10% of their total diet.

 

[RhondaSue]

I am having a problem with this post because i don't know what a maigo or a marigo is?  At first I thought maybe you meant mangoes which is likely that chickens would like since they like fruit but you can't grow mangoes here.  Then I though that perhaps that you meant marigolds but I have no idea whether chickens would eat marigolds or if they would even be good for them.

My chickens eat a lot of grass.  I start feeding them short clippings while they are in the brooder.  They eat seeds from a number of different grasses and flowers.  Mine seem to love tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, squash, pumpkin and even cooked beets.  I am sure if given the opportunity that they would clean out my lettuce also.  Any small berries that they can reach get devoured also.  I even throw them rose hips when available.  Any of my plums that hit the ground disappear very quickly.

BTW mine also love any mice or voles they can find and catch.  Even small birds can find my poultry hazardous to their health.  Before I had poultry here, I had snakes and lizards but the poultry have cleaned them out or at least made it so they stay out of sight for fear for their lives.

The one thing to remember about giving treats to poultry is to make sure that all of the treats together do not amount to more than 10% of their total diet.

I am sorry, really need to watch my spelling. Marigolds.

 

[RhondaSue]

I went ahead and planted a large Marigold garden at the end of my vegetable garden. Even if my birds do not like them they are a beautiful flower that does attack bees for pollination.

 

[R2elk]

I went ahead and planted a large Marigold garden at the end of my vegetable garden. Even if my birds do not like them they are a beautiful flower that does attack bees for pollination.[B]https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/7801678/width/200/height/400[/B][/QUOTE]

Yes they are very pretty. My mother always had marigolds in her flower garden. I got to have zinnias back then.

I assume that you mean that they attract bees. My bees are really liking the cherry tree and plum tree blossoms right now. Once the crabapple tree gets in full bloom it sounds like you are in a beehive if you stand under the tree. They really go crazy for sweet clover which makes a wonderful honey.

 

[RhondaSue]

No, no, I meant the flowers come to life and attack the bees, shoo-ing them away. Lol

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Really need to read my post before hitting reply. Oh well, I got a good chuckle out of my post. Hope you did too!

 

[R2elk]

No, no, I meant the flowers come to life and attack the bees, shoo-ing them away. Lol

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Really need to read my post before hitting reply. Oh well, I got a good chuckle out of my post. Hope you did too!

 

[rowechicks]

Hello! I'm new to chickens and am still in the designing phase of my coop. Anything in particular I should prepare for? I live between Sheridan and Gillette and we just had a snowstorm in late April, so i know to be ready for heavy spring snow, but how does everyone make their coop work for hot summers and freezing winters?

 

[red horse ranch]

Hello! I'm new to chickens and am still in the designing phase of my coop. Anything in particular I should prepare for? I live between Sheridan and Gillette and we just had a snowstorm in late April, so i know to be ready for heavy spring snow, but how does everyone make their coop work for hot summers and freezing winters?

Hi Neighbor! I live about 4 miles East of Buffalo so I know what you mean about heavy spring snows. We got over a foot last Tuesday and then 14" more on Friday.

The most important thing I've found about a coop in this climate is that you have to have electric to it. Mine is insulated and I use a heat lamp over the water when it's below 20 degrees. In the summer I keep a fan going all the time. They need shade in the summer. Make sure there are vents for humidity to escape year round. I've been keeping chickens for over ten years and I've never had a problem with combs freezing or chickens dying from heat.

 

[R2elk]

First turkey poult of the year. It was only 2 days early.

Tri-Color Mottled Slate poult


The annual snow on the blossoms