Do you cook some of your garden produce for the hens?

[digitS']

Or, just serve it to 'em raw?

Or, never give them anything that doesn't come from the feed store?

Steve

 

[poppycat]

My hens like to serve themselves, kind of like a salad bar. My challenge for next summer is to allow them to free range and not demolish the garden.

 

[digitS']

Uh oh!

 

[Nifty]

My hens like to serve themselves, kind of like a salad bar. My challenge for next summer is to allow them to free range and not demolish the garden.

Yeah, I'm having the same issue / dilemma. We have limited space in the back yard and it is going to be tricky to decide on garden or free range hens... it seems the two are mutually exclusive without a lot of netting / wire.

 

[digitS']

Nifty & Poppycat, I don't seem to have that problem at all but then again, there aren't many chicken delights in my tiny backyard garden. The larger veggie gardens are elsewhere.

I haven't owned a rooster in a coon's age, I'm sure that makes a difference. The hens are barely able to venture into the garden on the other side of the little greenhouse because it is out of view. And, there's a St. Bernard on the other side of the fence - oh, no!! The old dog pays absolutely no attention to the birds. Finally, our hens haven't been exactly free rangers. We spend a good deal of time in our backyard during the nicer weather. Generally, I try to only have the hens out when we can be there with 'em.

When I lived out in the country, the large veggie garden was some distance from the barn, corral, chicken house where the birds tended to hang out. Once again, if I wasn't home the birds went back in their yard - always a simple process with a handful of treats.

And, that's what I'm interested in mostly - having good things for the hens (& us!) out of the garden.

Steve

 

[bayouchica]

My chickens free range & my EE babies went wild for the squash!! We usually have more than we can eat anyways.
My older chickens love the squash raw too.

 

[Buff Shallots]

Well, I found out that my girls LOVE carrot greens. So in spring, you bet I'm going to sow more carrots!

 

[digitS']

Bayouchica were the chicks eating raw squash?!?

Buff, I find that just about the favorite peelings are those from carrots. All I need to do is put them in the microwave for a minute, allow them to cool, and they get gobbled-up!

Steve

 

[Buff Shallots]

DigitS, they always snubbed the peelings, but I never thought of nuking them first! I'll try that. Thanks for the tip.

 

[bayouchica]

Bayouchica were the chicks eating raw squash?!?

Yeah, the little thieves,lol.