help - 'fat hen' for feeding my hens??

Maria · help - 'fat hen' for feeding my hens??

Do folks supplement their chickens diet with something they grow - or do their chooks forage for thier own grub?? I'd like to feed the new chooks something i can grow for them. I've split their coop into two parts...and could prob make enough room for three. I want to rest the ground but would also like to sow/plant something for them.

I came across 'fat hen' and read that it used to be fed to poultry. Anyone tried this? It likes nitrogen rich soil...which i imagine the chooks will be leaving behind as they move around? It also produces a lot of seeds. I guess i'd have to have my timing right if i expect the chooks to leave them alone long enough to seed.

Some of the info i found on 'fat-hen' www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o551-fathen.php

Smooth Hound

sounds like its worth a try.

Maidenstone

Maria - Bonnyton Gardens tattie plot at Durno has lots of fat hen (and hasn't been sprayed) - I'm sure if you asked Gill or Lucy they wouldn't mind you 'weeding' for them! I'm hoping to get some when it is seeding so I can get some growing here. Also worth trying the organic farmers who started to get involved with the community garden scheme as they grow tatties, and fat hen seems to like growing in this crop. Don't you live near them? We used to eat fat hen but in the sprayed fields around we can never find it now, so I want seeds to start off my own patch.