Crops for the girls

[chickenfan]

Does anyone plant crops for nice tasty eggs and healthy birds? Grass is probably best but just wonder if people have experimented with other things?

 

[Tweetypie]

Hi Chickenfan

Tomatoes would be easy, don't take up much room.

Other than giving mine grass clippings once a week, when I can cut the grass, I also give them "greens", a cheaper type of cabbage, often as I can get, usually 3 times a week. I'm thinking of growing some this year. I didn't have luck growing stuff last year as the critters ate the plants :-( .

I can also admit to stealing maize from the edge of a farmers field. I stick a metal skewer through the length of the maize and and poke the sharp end in the ground. Keeps the hens occupied for a while...

 

[MrsBiscuit]

From observing my girls on the range they would choose sorrel and fresh young grass tips in the spring, and mature grass seed heads in the autumn. My garden was quite wild but I didn't notice to what extent they chose or didn't choose things like clover, toadflax etc. In the veg patch they would try to eat anything that was young, tender and succulent, so the leaves on beans and beetroot, and lettuce! Many chicken are keen on soft fruit, but its not terribly good for them. My lot were not interested in cabbage leaves or similar, but I know many hens are. I'm sure I have seen pictures of hens eating pumpkin/squash. Possibly something like a courgette might work as well.

Given calendula (marigold) is used in some feeds to give good colour yolks, I might try a packet of seed and see if they eat the flowers.

 

[Marigold]

They don't eat marigold flowers, I've tried. Goosegrass is very welcome at this time of year and I wonder if that's why goosegrass is one of its many names. They love squash pumpkin or melon seeds. If you tie a bunch of cabbage leaves to a string hung from the roof of the run or from a branch they like pecking it as it swings and it's very funny to watch. Fresh short lawn clippings are also welcome if they can't be let out to destroy the lawn. But straight away when the grass has been cut as it heats up very quickly if left in a heap.

 

[rick]

Hi Chickenfan! I dont have the space here to grow anything for the chickens. I tried once with trays - took 3 weeks to grow some alfalfa and 3 minuets to demolish! They get cabbage and some lettuce and tomatoes on occasion. Do sprout grain for them and they love it. Actually, have discovered that most of the grain (other than the chopped corn) in scratch is viable so that goes in a large mayonnaise jar with black sunflower seed for sprouting. They seem to like cumin so am going to see if that will germinate - most things like that do.

 

[chickenfan]

Many thanks for the interesting replies and ideas for sprouting and goosegrass. I think I'm going to plant some extra microgreens for them.