Chicken tractor

[Poledragon]

Following in from Two Sheds mention of this book in a previous thread...

I got my three chooks yesterday, and in a couple of hours they managed to dig a fair sized hole in my lawn scratching around for goodness knows what. They had fun, mind, but my intention was to use them as a chicken tractor, so this morning, I moved the ark onto the sadly neglected veggies beds instead (after finding two fresh warm eggs! - didn't expect that so soon after them being moved).

There was some oat straw left from my hulless oats experiment, some hollow frost ravaged marrows, new shoots of mint and a fair few slugs hiding under the marrows, so they've had a high old time scratching and foraging around. What I'm wondering about is how to make the most of their scratching instincts. Would it be advisable to put down a layer of straw for them to fling around and 'manure'? What kind of veggie scraps can I chuck in there for them? (obviously no spud peelings, as they're on the bed I've earmarked for first earlies!)

They're great characters already - two of the three are so bold they've stood and let my 3 year old stroke them and they come to their little door as soon as I appear in the garden.

[Alice]

Good luck with your chickens Poledragon. I don't really know anything about keeping them but I beleive they do like something to play with. You can hang up a cabbage and let them fly at it and peck it. You were lucky to get eggs straight away. YUM !

[ugly gourd]

You said no potatoe peelings but when we had chickens we used to cook peelings and the tiny one and cool over night for them or if really cold warm them through and they used to love them

[Two_Sheds]

Chickenman on our Lottie site gives his hens lettuce, brassicas, plus some weeds: Fat Hen (!), Shepherds Purse. We also throw our snails and slugs to them

[sanman]

Hi Poledragon

Glad to hear your chickens have settled in well, they are great fun. I feed mine their layers pellets in the morning and then late afternoon they have some 'supercorn' both these are from Allen & Pages Smallholder range. My advice would be to scatter the corn where you want them to scratch, stand back and watch the fun

[welsh veg grower]

what lucky chickens.

Mine get all sorts from our kitchen, they love cooked potatoes, rice and pasta. I also give corn but to be honest they will just scratch as long as you dont leave lots of food lying about as if its there easy they will do less pecking and scratching. I have heard you shouldn't give them snails !!! Slugs are ok, you should check this Mine loved them but another smallholder told me not to give them snails so I stopped but obviously they do still find some. but they will easy clear a patch for you to start your crops although oonly on the surface, so you dont get out of the digging that easy.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't have any chickens, but a parrot - he loves anything dairy: rice pudding, custard, yogurt... He won't touch any of the recommended foods for parrots (greens, egg, carrot)

[madderbat]

I don't have any chickens, but a parrot - he loves anything dairy: rice pudding, custard, yogurt... He won't touch any of the recommended foods for parrots (greens, egg, carrot)

Is he toothless ?
If so he is bound to suceed.
Love bubblewrap.

[serenity]

I think chickens will eat al most anything have herd of them eating frogs dead mice and even the poo from the family dog who like to eat the corn but could not digest it Just remember too much of a good thing can be bad for them. My children love to dig up worms from the garden to feed to the chucks but too many causes the runs

[Two_Sheds]

chickens love worms

Don't waste your worms on the chooks! Give them snails (v.amusing when they dash around chasing the one who has a snail stuck on the end of her beak)

[bubblewrap]

Don't waste your worms on the chooks! Give them snails (v.amusing when they dash around chasing the one who has a snail stuck on the end of her beak)

Nearly missread this one snails dashing around makes the mind boggle!!

[yoanbob]

good luck with your new chooks, they like anything really, but cook root peelings first, not too much rice and pasta and bread, but they do like a bit of marmite on bread, its good for them too.
they will scratch whatever you do so just keep moving them in order to keep your lawn in shape.
give them a dust bath and they wont dig too deep, (just some dry fine soil about 6 inches deep should do it)
enjoy