I have an idea...

[Wannabefree]

Anybody grow food for their chickens in cold frames or anything during the winter? I want to grow some lettuce or greens or something to supplement their feed. Is it possible to grow things like this through the winter to help offset feed costs since they can't range much? I have about 60 birds...chickens ducks and turkeys. I know it would take a good bit of feed to completely feed them, which I would like to work up to doing, but for now, just offsetting cost would be good So, who does this? And how?

 

[BarredBuff]

I have some lettuce in the cold frame but thats for me. Although there is alot of weedish things in there I may give them. Check out this threahttp://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7467d

 

[Wannabefree]

thanks BarredBuff! I'll check that out

 

[Beekissed]

I add a little alfalfa pellets to their whole grain mix when the grass is covered and they can no longer forage. It costs me a little over $6 for 50 lbs of alfalfa pellets...I can't grow anything that cheaply and for so little effort.

 

[BarredBuff]

I add a little alfalfa pellets to their whole grain mix when the grass is covered and they can no longer forage. It costs me a little over $6 for 50 lbs of alfalfa pellets...I can't grow anything that cheaply and for so little effort.

Is that the same thing as rabbit pellets?

 

[Kassaundra]

This week I got something at the feed store meant for calves, but seemed like a good winter treat for the girls when I put them in for the night, to keep them warm and full. It was cracked corn, alfalfa pellets, and molassas, it was $6-7 for 50lbs.

 

[Wannabefree]

This week I got something at the feed store meant for calves, but seemed like a good winter treat for the girls when I put them in for the night, to keep them warm and full. It was cracked corn, alfalfa pellets, and molassas, it was $6-7 for 50lbs.

Sounds like sweet feed. I may have to go to TSC and have a look see

 

[freemotion]

I make lawn hay and store it in feed sacks for winter poultry feeding. I don't need it this year because of my batch of third cut hay...lots of little bits end up in the hay bags and I empty them into a bucket every other day. They won't be interested in it until there is a snow cover...they will eat anything green that shows through the snow first. Right now the meat chickens are eating some, along with pumpkins, sprouted oats, and corn, in their pen that was the tomato garden. They've completely stripped it of green stuff along with the edge that they can reach through the fence.

 

[BarredBuff]

Will chickens eat hay?