Can they eat....?

KathyH · « **on:** October 23, 2007, 17:05 »

Nasturtiums!
Ours are due to be grubbed up and I wondered about heaving them into the chooks pen.
We often have the leaves in sandwiches as they are peppery like cress - so I wondered if the chooks would like them (or more importantly if the nasturtiums would like the chooks!)

Selkie · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2007, 17:07 »

ours just ignore them

KathyH · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2007, 17:19 »

Is that just a taste thing though or do they instinctively know they aren't good for them I wonder.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2007, 17:21 »

You can try them if you like. But the same rule applies to chooks as to humans - not too much of one thing - If you ate 6 cauliflowers it might give you a problem :roll:

I think the pepperyness might put them off, mine won't eat watercress.

KathyH · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2007, 17:25 »

Thanks Aunt Sally - I will try a little then and see how they go down.

By the way I have been away from the forum for a bit and now can't find the photo page for hens. I thought it was in a sticky at the top of the page last time I looked. Mind you - it could just be me :oops:

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2007, 17:27 »

look in the poultry information forum Kathy (one above this section)

KathyH · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2007, 17:45 »

Got it - thanks Aunt sally

You must have had a tidy up while I was gone!

I just tried a few nasturtium leaves (minus the stems) on the girls and they fought over them!
I will leave it at that for tonight (three leaves each if they share nicely) and see what reaction I get tomorrow if I offer them some more.

Just getting short of free greens from the garden about now and the Swiss chard and perpetual spinach isn't big enough to pick yet.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2007, 18:05 »

I'm glad they liked them Kathy

Did you manage to grow them without too much black fly - I didn't

KathyH · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2007, 18:29 »

Well I managed to avoid the blackfly - but maybe they just drowned!
The plants took so long to come to anything that I don't think the aphids had time to clock that they were there before it got too cold for them!
Lousy summer ! :x

Selkie · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2007, 18:40 »

we missed the worst of the summer downpours (for once) and my nasturtiums went crazy this year - they're still flowering like mad and no signs of it stopping!

i might try my hens on a few of their leaves again to see what happens

KathyH · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2007, 20:14 »

We are in the West Midlands and when the Met office published a map of this summer's rainfall - we were slap dab in the worst bit!
Our house wasn't under water but many neighbors were and we were cut off for a while back in late July (remember Tewkesbury? Its local!)

:shock:

Can they eat....?

Selkie

Selkie