New Direction for our flock

[CandeeLand]

Good morning all,

We're taking our flock in a new direction.

We were free ranging daily and now we've had to enclose them into their very large run/enclosure, due to a fox attack. I'm wanting to start sprouting some seeds for them, but I'm unsure of the best ones to sprout (alfalfa, clover, etc). We will be making an additional large (10'x13') chicken run, that will be attached to their current run, to give them a "grassy" area, where they could come/go through a "tunnel" for food, water & nesting box.
Any guidance/suggestions as to what to sprout/plant for these girls would be greatly appreciated.

The one that was attacked seems to be doing well. She went through a stressful molt just days afterwards and has now regrown almost all of her feathers back. She had little to no physical damage on the outside that we could find. I believe the fox just barely got her and we were quick to react (30 seconds literally) and chase it off.

Thank you in advance for your knowledge & wisdom you're willing to share. Have a wonderful weekend!

 

[ChaosMom]

Very glad to hear that your girl came through ok!

It sounds like you have a lot of land available (I’m so jealous!) Chickens will wipe out grassy areas in no time at all.

Is there any way that you can block out multiple small runs with tunnel attachments to the main one? If so, you could do rotational grazing, so to speak, although you most likely won’t be able to keep ahead of a determined flock.

Another thing you might try (in addition) is building long and narrow forage boxes with hardware cloth over the top. Fill with soil to an inch or two below the HWC and plant different types of seed (wheat, clovers, grasses, herbs). Ideally, the chickens will eat the tops of the seedlings coming through the HWC, but the roots will remain intact, allowing the plants to keep growing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

but I'm unsure of the best ones to sprout

Best? What is this obsession with "best". Sprouting any grains are good, just keep it to small amounts like any other treat. Even better (but not best), vary the grains you use as they do have different nutrients. Don't stress yourself over minutiae.

I don't know where you are located so if you are planting I don't know what to suggest. Since you are in the US you might call your county extension office and chat with them for local recommendations. But again, I'd suggest a variety versus monoculture.

That 10' x 13' run is pretty small. I endorse Chaosmom's suggestion of a wire mesh covered run they can't peck the ground in but can eat the tops as they grow through.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^^ both good posts above.

I'm taking a brief break from workign outdoors - but threw another $500 or so at two acres last week. Between the chickens, the ducks, the turkeys, and the goats I was looking pretty bare.

130 sq ft really isn't enough space to keep even a couple chickens from scratching to bare earth. Its smaller than the greenhouse I'm building. Focus on sprouting trays instead. and if you want to try and grow something "in the ground"? Depending on climate (your rough location isn't in your user info - for questions like this, it matters) you can try mint, oregano, and other hebrs that spread via runners. Plant them outside the run to protect the planting, allow them to spread in over time.

 

[ChaosMom]

…Sprouting any grains are good, just keep it to small amounts like any other treat. Even better (but not best), vary the grains you use as they do have different nutrients. Don't stress yourself over minutiae…

Got a question about sprouting multiple grains: unless I can find a 10# of mixed whole grains at a feed store, I see a future of a half dozen 50# sacks of grain in our overstuffed shed, spooning them down 1/4 cup at a time.

I wonder if anyone has planted grazing/ sprouting/ foraging trays with cover crop mixes? Obviously, I’d check the contents, but it seems efficient.

Our local garden seed supplier has a lot of cover crop seeds, individual and mixes. I even saw sorghum on another screen

https://sowtrueseed.com/collections...681CDjsbnJBYEFhohiko8thYx6DAnmb4_McNzLLC3Ax7Z

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes, "cover crop" mixes are an excellent choice