Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => Chicken Chat => Topic started by: joyfull on January 14, 2012, 11:23

Title: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on January 14, 2012, 11:23
As most of you on here seem to frequent the chickenny pages only have you thought that you could join in the growing sections by growing some treats just for your girls. Especially as Defra says it is illegal to feed your birds on food that has come from your kitchen.
If you are short of space why not grow tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets? Last year mine loved eating the hundreds and thousands tomatoes I grew for them.
They love freshly grown raspberries (but fence them off otherwise they will help themselves to all your fruit), ripe fallen plums are another treat.
Sunflowers also provide great treats and every year there is a sunflower growing competition.
Growing details can be found here:-

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=1.0

And don't forget our competition section - most of you own cameras so stand a good a chance as anybody at winning some of the great prizes
Check it out here:-

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=18.0

There is also a great chatting section where jokes, general chitchat and even frugal ideas can be found along with a general swap shop.
Don't be shy - take a look and join in  :D

 
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: arugula on January 14, 2012, 11:40
Go on! We're a friendly lot really! ;) :D
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Chrysalis on January 14, 2012, 12:37
I gave my hens the stalks and leaves from the purple brussels sprouts (not that there were many!) and guess what colour the poop was!!! :tongue2: :tongue2: :tongue2:
Still, they loved it all.  At least the eggs weren't purple or green, too. :blink:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: OpiumEater on January 17, 2012, 14:19
Caught my husband about to throw my not very successful brassicas out, until I explained they were for the chickens and only to be pulled when they needed a fresh one hanging in there run :)

He thinks them rather spoilt.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: sarah1983jane on January 29, 2012, 17:32
"Defra says it is illegal to feed your birds on food that has come from your kitchen.
"

erm really?

Why?

nee nar nee nar her come the police for me, I like throwing left over food to the chickens - why send it to landfill when they can eat it!
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Lewjam on January 31, 2012, 13:31
Its technically illegal but i don’t know of an example of it being enforced.  More about the principle to try to stop feeding meat scraps and such to flocks.  (I think it all stemmed from the dieses caused by forcing animals to cannibalize like the Sheep feed thing)

It just means that this websites policy is not to encourage people to do it (even though i would guess virtually every one does)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: alaj on February 02, 2012, 13:59
Tis a daft one that! How on earth do you enforce?!  My lot get odds and ends chucked in a pan when I'm prepping veg that would otherwise go into the composted therefore I think I'd argue they were getting compost :tongue2: sniggers.
Curious as to what it's based on??!
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: alaj on February 02, 2012, 14:00
Meant to say that we do grow varying bits eg pumpkins etc specifically for them, and the wild blackberries are much loved!
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on February 02, 2012, 17:04
please remember anybody can read this forum. We do not and cannot condone feeding food that has come from your kitchen.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on February 26, 2012, 17:35
"Defra says it is illegal to feed your birds on food that has come from your kitchen.
"

erm really?

Why?

nee nar nee nar her come the police for me, I like throwing left over food to the chickens - why send it to landfill when they can eat it!


Sorry, don't believe the police are coming for you love :nowink:

Where we are you can't get them to turn out if a breakin is in progress :mad:

There are    so many daft rules these days, usually in knee jerk responses to some idiot practising dodgy farming, such as feeding ground up dead sheep to grass eating cows etc :mad:

SO long as we don't give the chooks meat what the heck. Ours get allsorts of non meat kitchen scraps and greens from the lotty. Will wait for the police to turn up 8) :D! Would rather face their displeasure than my chickens displeasure if they go without their treats. ;)

Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: andreadon on March 16, 2012, 15:39
One way round the law is to put all your veggie/kitchen scraps into the Compost bin, and use that compost, when it's ready, to grow veg, which you feed directly to the hens (without it going into your kitchen) :D

Technically, they'll be trying to eat it anyway, while it's still growing  ::)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Dawnuss on March 18, 2012, 18:16
Im really confused  :unsure: so does that mean you cant feed veg from the shops? am i being well dumb. I am a newbie so thats my excuse  :tongue2:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on March 21, 2012, 08:19
Im really confused  :unsure: so does that mean you cant feed veg from the shops? am i being well dumb. I am a newbie so thats my excuse  :tongue2:

No Dawnuss, you are not being dumb. It is, in my opinion, a totally daft rule brought about because of dodgy farming practices feeding ground up sheep to cattle and starting mad cow disease. And probably aimed at large scale operations that sell to the public.

I believe that some  farmers now give antibiotics routinely to their hens which to my mind is worse than giving chickens vegetables.

Although this site does not condone the feeding of kitchen scraps, I am with a very good friend on this matter...... who will know if you do give them veggies from your kitchen or garden? You do have to cook potato skins and some of the harder veg tho.

All the chicken keeping books, written by experienced chicken keepers, tell you to supplement the feed with treats and veg, and hang up a cabbage for them. And going on the difference in taste between the eggs you buy and the ones from your own chickens, it is the extra veg that makes the difference.

I mean think about it..... if the chickens are free ranging or living wild they are going to eat slugs and creepies as well as anything green they fancy in your garden.

I am a great believer in instinct and common sense. ;)

Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on April 03, 2012, 10:36
As a lot of you will have found out chickens like sunflower seeds so why not join in our annual sunflower growing competition which can be found here (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=91731.0)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on April 03, 2012, 10:38
They also love pumpkin and pumpkin seeds so again try joining in this (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=91005.0)
Your chickens will love you forever  :D
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Ice on April 03, 2012, 12:01

I am a great believer in instinct and common sense. ;)


And I am a great believer in not compromising the forum by continuing to discuss what is an illegal practice, bonkers though it may be to us back garden chicken keepers.  We all do it, so let's keep it to ourselves. ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Fiona55 on May 06, 2012, 17:01
Hi, I have only had my chooks for just over a month, & am only giving them veg (as well pellets & corn).  Cucumber seems to be a particular favourite, not so keen on white cabbage.  Anyone think that bread is a good idea or any other left overs.  I thought it best for them just to stick to veg.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Oliveview on June 02, 2012, 14:42
If the hens were allowed  bread it has to be soaked in water, otherwise it isn´t good for the hens.  I´m ok, I am in Spain!!  I am not covered by DEFRA   :lol: and I give my hens veg/fruit and bread.... I don´t know if there is a Spanish rule or not  :wub:  Potato peelings and hard veg (like carrots and cabbage stalks) all get cooked.  Not in the summer, only when it is cold do the hens get ´cooked´ treats, in the summer the potato peelings and cabbage stalks go onto the compost, and the hens glare at me as I throw the veg onto the compost  :lol:

I had to go about the gardn picking up mouldy green bread the neighbour threw in for the hens once and the olive´s  that had gone off.  The hens love the olives that just fall off the tree, but olives in vinegar and salt water....  >:( with garlic added for fun  :ohmy:

Pamela
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: northernplan on June 02, 2012, 19:33
Our chooks will get all the spare veg out of the garden when it has grown. We always seen to have at least one cabbage that doesn't grow so well. We did try planting some herbs in their run for them (apparently they are very good for them) but this only worked for a couple of days before they discovered them and ate the lot down to the roots! :nowink: Very happy chooks while the herbs survived but they are back to grass now!
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Little red on June 04, 2012, 09:51
I like to give my girls fresh veg but usually give them same things - spinach,cabbage,lettuce,curly kale,cucumber and broccoli - i was wondering what else i can give them. I have heard chickweed is good for them but i dont know what it looks like or where to find it :unsure:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on June 04, 2012, 10:15
here (http://livingafield.com/Plants_Chickweed.htm) you go  :)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Little red on June 04, 2012, 18:34
Thats great thanks i think i have seen that growing near me  :)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: andreadon on June 16, 2012, 12:54
You can put all your kitchen scraps into your compost heap (along with poo and crushed up shells) - then you use that compost on your soil to grow veggies for your chooks  :lol:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: wildwitchy on July 23, 2012, 17:33
Please don't do anything sensible for gods sake incase anyone should get sued.

Jeezzz, never heard the likes of it.  ::)

The next thing will be robotic hens that can only be fed nuts n bolts from a goverment institution.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: robsonutop on August 03, 2012, 22:23
Hi al
I feed my hens left over bread from my kitchen and when I weed my veg patch I tip those in for them to scratch at. I also give them the bruised windfalls from my appletrees in autumn. I still feed mixed grain and layers mainly,  but they enjoy the variety and it's a good way of getting rid of my weeds especially as my compost bin starts to get full. I bake the bread myself so it doesn't contain lots of salt
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on August 04, 2012, 07:20
bread can swell up and cause problems for the hens. If you do feed bread it should always be wet. However please remember feeding kitchen scraps is illegal.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: alaj on September 25, 2012, 08:45
 :)A tractor full of corn on the cob dropped loads as it went past the house :D I have very happy girls :D
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on September 25, 2012, 16:48
lucky hens - mine love corn on the cob  :D
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Chrysalis on September 25, 2012, 20:08
Corn on the cob, yummy.  Too good for my chooks, I'm afraid..... ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: symonep on October 20, 2012, 19:33
we went away for a few days this week so hung up a huge pumpkin just out of their reach with a small hole cut into the bottom to expose the flesh, when we got back a few days ago half of it had gone, i just went out to check what was left and the only thing hanging was the stalk! just about to put another one up now.

we grow lettuces for them in the allottment and let them go to seed  so they are huge, they eat better than me!!
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Lindeggs on December 06, 2012, 00:25
we went away for a few days this week so hung up a huge pumpkin just out of their reach with a small hole cut into the bottom to expose the flesh, when we got back a few days ago half of it had gone, i just went out to check what was left and the only thing hanging was the stalk! just about to put another one up now.

we grow lettuces for them in the allottment and let them go to seed  so they are huge, they eat better than me!!

I know a woman who grew loads of pumpkins.  Every day she broke open a pumpkin and left it in her chicken run so the chickens ate as much as they wanted.  Then one day her white chicken started to moult, and its new white feathers grew back yellow!  :unsure: 

I didn't believe that story when she first told me, but apparently it's true!  It's something called Carotenosis or Carotenemia where the carotene pigments change the colour of someone's skin (or a chicken's feathers)!  It is apparently harmless.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on December 06, 2012, 06:58
yes they even say it can happen to humans who eat too many carrots - no more fake tans needed  :)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: New shoot on December 06, 2012, 09:28
Hi Lindeggs  :)  Long time no speak. Lovely to see you back  :)

Mine love pumpkin, but never get that much of it.  Only wedges I can't use.  They get plently of overgrown courgettes and cucumbers that I have missed picking. 

They only get the small badly formed ears of corn on the cob, but go wild for it  :)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: RJR_38 on February 02, 2013, 20:05
The primary school I have not long left (I am a teacher) has 2 battery rescue hens in the nursery dept. They were often allowed to come into the dining hall on certain days and do the initial 'clean' and removal of food scraps before the floor was cleaned down etc. They loved it and were desperate to get in.

Probably breaks so many rules but the hens and children were healthy and had been for years!
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: JaK on February 03, 2013, 21:28
I seem to keep stumbling across articles about oregano a lot recently. It seems that it has a lot of health benefits for chickens if fed often enough. I'm thinking about trying to grow a big patch on the allotment for my chickens to snack on this year.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on February 05, 2013, 07:48
it is good for their digestive system  :)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: compostqueen on February 05, 2013, 11:47
I really miss have hens to grow veg for  :D  What to do with those piles of pesky weeds too. I used to love chucking a pile of weeds for the girls to sort through.  They do a really good job of helping out with the garden chores, especially scratting up moss in the lawn  :)

I used to grow Cima da Rapa for my hens, which is tops for calcium - for them and us - and they love it.   Any veg that runs to seed is fine for the girls, and as that happens all to often, means that it's not been a complete waste of time  :)

Hard stalks, and whole carrots, can be grated if needs be to make them easier for the birds to eat.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Fifi on March 31, 2013, 19:48
My hens are on our allotment and I grow a bed of lettuces just for them. When I first offered them one they ran a mile and wouldn't touch it, now they almost have my hand off when I take one into the run. At this time of year the lettuce has to come from the supermarket but they don't seem to mind :D
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ActionFlack on June 27, 2013, 19:30
has anyone bred snails (or bought from a snail farm, if any exist in the uk?) to feed to their hens as a treat? I wonder if this would be difficult or expensive to do?
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ANHBUC on June 27, 2013, 19:35
Mine won't eat snails so it would be a waste of money for me.   :lol:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on June 27, 2013, 20:31

Hard stalks, and whole carrots, can be grated if needs be to make them easier for the birds to eat.

Mine turn their beaks up at carrot. They look at it with total disgust and kick it around a bit until it is clear that it is carrot or nothing ???

They go potty for sorrel tho'.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: joyfull on June 28, 2013, 14:16
remember slugs and snails can give your pets lungworm so make sure you use flubenvet very regularly.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ActionFlack on July 11, 2013, 18:11
Lots of my potted vegetables/fruits have been overrun by weeds. I've let them keep growing and pop them in for the hens every few days - they love it! Each time my hens strip the pot empty I just take it out and let the plants regrow.
There's a strawberry plant somewhere in the pot in this picture! :)


Picture fixed by Aunty
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Sparkyrog on July 11, 2013, 21:35
has anyone bred snails (or bought from a snail farm, if any exist in the uk?) to feed to their hens as a treat? I wonder if this would be difficult or expensive to do?
sounds like a waste of snails  :D
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ANHBUC on July 11, 2013, 22:08
Lots of my potted vegetables/fruits have been overrun by weeds. I've let them keep growing and pop them in for the hens every few days - they love it! Each time my hens strip the pot empty I just take it out and let the plants regrow.
There's a strawberry plant somewhere in the pot in this picture! :)

Your photos are still showing up side down ActionFlack!!   :wacko:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ActionFlack on July 11, 2013, 22:15
I really don't understand why!! They show the right way up to me! Even if I flip it so its upside down to me, it doesn't change it for you! Maybe I need to invert their coup?? ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ANHBUC on July 11, 2013, 22:16
I will ask the tech team if they know what causes it.   ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ANHBUC on July 11, 2013, 22:40
Thanks Aunt Sally.   ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: barley on July 11, 2013, 23:32
just a thought in this hot weather  8)
why not leave kitchen meat scraps out in the heat of the day ( out of reach from kids and pets )
in a couple of days it will be crawling with maggots - I bet they would go down a treat with the hens

now that's wot I call proper recycling  :D 
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ANHBUC on July 12, 2013, 09:11
just a thought in this hot weather  8)
why not leave kitchen meat scraps out in the heat of the day ( out of reach from kids and pets )
in a couple of days it will be crawling with maggots - I bet they would go down a treat with the hens

now that's wot I call proper recycling  :D

I think that would attract more than flies, rats and of course Mr Fox would love it.   ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: barley on July 12, 2013, 17:51
just a thought in this hot weather  8)
why not leave kitchen meat scraps out in the heat of the day ( out of reach from kids and pets )
in a couple of days it will be crawling with maggots - I bet they would go down a treat with the hens

now that's wot I call proper recycling  :D

I think that would attract more than flies, rats and of course Mr Fox would love it.   ;)

point taken on rats and foxes - need to leave up out of reach some where
I'm giving it a go this weekend with the sunday roast remains - will leave it in the green house on the shelf out of reach - should get nice and hot and smelly in there  - flies not a problem cause the chooks like catching and eating those too :wacko:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Chrysalis on July 12, 2013, 18:57
Maybe a bokashi bin would be a more pleasant/hygenic way of recycling meat products?? ;) 
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: coop-de-tat on July 13, 2013, 08:31
Do chickens like apples?

The large cooking variety I mean...

I am setting up a new chicken coop and will be introducing 4 or 5 girls to it soon. I have an oldish but fairly small apple tree I want to look after but is smack in the middle of the new chook area. There is a tidy little apple crop on the tree which I'm hoping to make some nice wine out of for Christmas (and a few crumbles and tarts) Will my new chickens possibly make a meal of my crop before me?

CdT
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: ANHBUC on July 13, 2013, 09:20
They will have a peck at them and if they like them they will eat them.  They may be too sour for though so you will probably just have to wait and see.   ;)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: coppermaran on November 08, 2013, 15:07
on my allotment i have discovered many things chickens will eat   hawthorn berries    rose hips   all your greens most ripe fruit sweetcorn in fact not much they wont eat even on one rare occasion i saw a welsummer hen of mine with a small shrew in her beak and yes she down it in one   But nothing cooked from the kitchen because i keep pigs i know thats a no no from DEFRA
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: danfinn1 on November 02, 2015, 20:40
Well one of mine was trying to drink spilt coffee from the table on Saturday.Quite funny to watch as both she and I were unsure whether she liked it. :D

To explain, our boys (34) and (32) came round to help me fell a couple of young sycamores. After we had got them down and logged up I made us all bacon and egg sandwiches and let my hens out. The boys got fed, split some coffee and then said goodbye. I was left finishing off my sandwich being watched by three pair of eyes. Hen the decided to jump up on the arm of the chair opposite to get a closer look at what I was eating, she then noticed the coffee and took a few sips ::). I did explain that DEFRA would not like it but she just jumped down beep beeped and walked off :lol:
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: andreadon on March 06, 2016, 17:59
We discovered a couple of weeks ago that our chickens do not like savoy cabbage - i thought it would be very popular indeed, but they took off the out couple of green leaves and left the rest!  :wacko:

They loved the spring greens though.
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: leanda on September 12, 2016, 06:59
Can they eat grapes and vine leaves please?
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: New shoot on September 12, 2016, 10:57
Mine regularly help themselves from the vine in the back garden, so yes.  They eat a few leaves, but aren't that bothered.  Grapes on the other hand cause a frenzy  :)
Title: Re: Chickens and veggies.
Post by: Tom Parrot on August 31, 2018, 12:30
Hello readers,
This topic caught my eye and went through all the replies. Interesting.
As for kitchen scraps, including meat, it could all go into a HOT BIN. I've had one for many years now and if the mix is right it makes lovely compost. If the mix is not right and you have the space, after composting in the hot bin put it onto a normal compost and mix it in.
It can get to over 120 degrees centigrade. Normally about 90/100 degrees.
As for vegetables for the hens. I grow Swiss Chard for them and they prefer that to other brassicas.
Plant out the tomatoes and the bottom leaves are quickly eaten. With the hens jumping up to eat those leaves higher up. Helps to ripen the tomatoes lower down so no harm done.
Low growing fruit can disappear before you get a chance to taste it.
All good fun!!!!!!!!!!