Growing food for chickens

[MaureenHall]

Not TOO much lettuce, it's supposed to be bad for them even though they love it! It gives (gave) my lot the trots if they over-indulged. While you're waiting for your home-grown stuff to be ready, ask around at market stalls for the outer veggie leaves, it saves them having to pay to get rid of them. Also, if you've got a slug problem, leave a few lettuce leaves out at night then chuck them to the chooks complete with slugs next day

[Suechooks]

Hello folks! Just wondered if and what people grew for fresh food for chickens? Mine have only had bits and bobs, like the old sprouting borocc trunks to nibble on. Thought I might squeeze something in for them!
Does anyone know if they eat stuff like "green manure" ?

Watch out for green manure - there is one of them (Ithink it's Alfalfa) that is on the list of poisonous plants for chooks

[Snadger]

I always add extra brassicas for the chooks. They are also a willing receptacle for any that have went to seed!
Kales are the most productive cut and come again plants for chooks methinks!

[Flummery]

Got 3 kinds of kale in this year too. Mind you, they'll have to fight me for it!

[Sue]

After working out that it cost me around £100 to keep them in greens through the winter I'm going into winter greenery in a big way. Their absolute fave was Black Tuscan Kale quickly followed by Spinach and Chard. So that's what I'm growing and rapidly running out of space for - come on potatoes get a move on....

best wishes
Sue

[HayleyB]

I've got 20 green courgettes on the go for them (couple for us) and have just sown 32 curly green kale and 28 Redbor kale, some for the farm shop some for us and some for the laydees

Mine will also get the old broad bean stems (leaves) and the pea plants when they are finished. I manage to forage a fair amount of weeds for them as well.

[Emmylou]

I've got 20 green courgettes on the go for them (couple for us) and have just sown 32 curly green kale and 28 Redbor kale, some for the farm shop some for us and some for the laydees

Mine will also get the old broad bean stems (leaves) and the pea plants when they are finished. I manage to forage a fair amount of weeds for them as well.

Hayley, thanks for that info! Do thay eat the courgettes or the leaves or both!!!
It seems as though the girls will be having a go at most things instead of the compost bin!
Do you just throw tham down or do you hang them up if practical?

[sheena]

There ain't no way in the world my girl's are getting my courgettes!!

But I have just started growing my own veg now with a hope that if there is plenty for me to give to the girl's.
So far I got:
Cabbage, Brocolli, Cucumber, Courgette, Parsnip, Potatoes, Tom's, Carrots, Pumpkin, White Sunflower, Nectarine (experiment), Chillies, Strawberry, Radish, Leeks, and Spring Onions!

I just realised I got all these seeded in my greenhouse (a walk in I got from Argos yesterday) and when they get bigger, I'm gonna be stumped for room! lol

[Emmylou]

If its anything like last year, we had courgettes to cobble doges with!!

[HayleyB]

The leaves I'm not sure but deffo the gettes

[matthew2riches]

Mine used to like the lettuce during the summer that had bolted. And beetroot leaves and just about anything else that was green.

[petal]

I tend to give my lot 'failures' at the allotment- too tatty or slug/caterpillar infested for the table!

[hmk]

Last year I discovered another allotment holder cut of and left any huge courgettes to rot on the ground. I spoke to him, and we swapped (about 20 in the end I should think) marrows for a box of eggs and some jam!

The hens loved them. I'm hoping I'll have some surplus this year...

HMK

[sheena]

Such a waste... I gotta get me a lottie and soon.
Hope my lottie holders are as generous as yours!

[Flummery]

People are very generous - our next door neighbour - gardener and lottie holder, brings me his trimmings for the girls. He gets eggs as swaps of course!