[avilla]

Is there such a thing as chickens having too much greens

Wife asked in the local veg shop for some any unwanted veg trimmings ie Cabbage leaves ,broccoli,cauliflower leaves and they obliged by giving her a great big sack full.

We have hung some up in the run and these were demolished  :happy:

We were wandering can chickens suffer from having too much greens in their diet

[gracie]

I think i read on here that they have to be having grit to help them to digest it, and i also believe that extra food is fine as long as its not at the sacrifice of them not eating the meal or food that is part of their main diet.

[8doubles]

I think they can have too much, i put a large broccoli plant in the run this morning and one hen appears to have overdone it and is 'off' her corn tonight.

Ps Too much lettuce is also a bad idea.

[jakatak]

i give mine quite a lot of greens and (I know this is a bit OTT) but I make sure they have fresh turf as they love grass, we also spread a little of the grass cuttings in their run which they pick over.  From what I have heard and read, the only thing it can do is make them a bit runny at the rear end department.

[sheridan]

Mine get a bagful of greens a day, a carrier bag size. It includes fat hen, carrot tops, grass, dock leaves, chickweed, garden weeds, and whatever greens the kids haven't eaten (usually all of them). They are fine on this, but if they have too much fat hen they get runny, and if they have too much goosegrass they can clog up. If I feed them brussells sprouts, the poo STINKS, much like husband.......

[Lindeggs]

My chickens have the run of the backyard from dawn until dusk and I've been amazed how much grass and greenery they eat.  Personally I trust their judgement and I'm happy for them to eat as many greens in a day as they want.

BUT if your chickens are confined consider that they might be eating the greens out of boredom and they just enjoy something to do.  A bit like me when I'm bored and I know there's a packet of chocolate biscuits in the pantry! 

Also because mine have free-choice they tend to avoid the poisonous plants, or choose to just have little nibbles of certain things but not eat a lot of them.  When you put a big bunch of greens in, they might be more indiscriminate and eat everything up.

[ManicMum]

We put all sorts of veg bits and weeds in the run for them to choose amongst, then scrape up (& compost) what they have left before it gets too stale.

But this is only in the afternoons after they have had plenty of time to eat their pellets.

We look at it as a boredom buster, whether they eat it or not, as I am sure they are better off foraging rather than just standing round a feeder.