Monster courgettes

[Sue]

Any courgettes developed into monsters? The chickens love them, the bigger the better as they keep them amused for hours. I don't go so far as to give them my own small ones but they're welcome to the donations. I don't expect they'll get one of my pumpkins either but I will save all the gooey bits with the seeds for them and they might get a sunflower head if I'm feeling generous.

We have a table by our Allotment HQ shed and people leave them on there so I always keep a look out for free ones.

Sue

[lettucegrow!]

Are they OK with the seeds of pumpkins etc? I have given mine the sunflower heads( very pleased to have at last raised some huge sunflowers- no slug attack- I grew them in the raised beds with the veg) and they really loved them, gone in seconds. They really are walking dustbins!!

[Bramble-Poultry]

Pumpkin seeds I would assume are good for them - i know in kids they are good if they have a worm problem as they irritate the worms, maybe they would have a similar effect in chickens and help as anatural deterrent.

But like everything a lot of anything isn;t good for them when it comes to treats but a little is fine

[MaureenHall]

Oooooooooooo somebody left me a huge courgette/marrow/pumpkin/squash of some sort by my lottie shed door and I was wondering what to do with it Should I cook it for the chooks or just let them have it as it is? (cut in half so both sets of chooks can have some)

[di]

Just chop it in half & leave them to it!!!Ours love them,although it took the chicks quite some time to work out whether it was toy/food or alien spacecraft!

[Snadger]

Are they OK with the seeds of pumpkins etc? I have given mine the sunflower heads( very pleased to have at last raised some huge sunflowers- no slug attack- I grew them in the raised beds with the veg) and they really loved them, gone in seconds. They really are walking dustbins!!

I like pumpkin seeds so I see no reason why the chooks wouldn't!

[Polly Fouracre]

Mine have been going to the pigs who love them but the next one will go to the hens!

[bluemoon]

We gave ours their first courgette yesterday and they loved it. I just sliced it lengthways then popped it in the run. It wasn't a huge one, but it was slightly slug damaged. If it had been for me I'd have cut the chewed bit off, but we're not keen on courgettes so I only grow them for a friend and I'm getting like supermarkets and only pass on the good looking ones. We'll definitely grow more next year though now we know the chooks are so keen.

[Suechooks]

I get everyones overgrown courgettes on the lottie site. I cut them in rings otherwise the chooks turn them over and can't get at the flesh.

[tlck9]

I was thinking, sliced in half, roasted with some bacon and some other bits, and placed on my plate

[Flummery]

I usually bake them with cheese and onions - but this is a great idea - you can only eat so many!
Just made a smooth spiced chutney with big courgettes, onions, apples and oranges. Wonderful!

[Nicos]

Just finished a stuffed courgette left over for lunch! ( stuffed with curried courgette, onion spuds and beans)
Went out and threw the next biggest marrow/courgette to my gals..and yup- they too seem to think they're mini flying saucers

I wonder if I put them off standing there with breadknife in hand????

[HayleyB]

My girls have their own courgette patch The yellow courgettes are for selling and our consumption and the 10 or so plants that are green are all for the laydees, they love the sapce ships flying at them eat the inside first then the green bits, later in season I'll let some go to marrow - ever seen a chook with a marrow for a head - hysterical

[Peebels]

is it ok to feed em to week old chicks? well week and a half? If so would they need grit too or will it be sufficently soft enough for them?

[RichmondHens]

A little would be ok, but not too much otherwise you risk tummy upset. No grit needed as it's soft. Depending on how many chicks you have, a couple of small cubes between say 8 chicks should be plenty.