"David (in Normandy)" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure if this is quite on/off topic for here, but someone
mentioning hens having a liking for 'Cleavers' in another thread prompted
me to ask.

That was me.

I'd like to plant and establish things there now that chickens would like
to eat? I've not kept chickens before and the books I've read about the
subject are a bit vague about the plants to grow. I could just plant grass
(what variety?)

All varieties, it won't last long.

but think perhaps an assortment of various "weeds" or other plants should
be encouraged too for a balanced diet.

They need greenstuff of any kind but that alone wouldn't give a balanced
diet, they need lots of animal protein and grain.

All brassicas will be devoured, chard, spinach ... dandelions are attractive
but they'll happen by themselves and don't need to be sown. I have to keep
my vegetables in runs while the chickens range everywhere else. They'll soon
tell you what they like and what they don't! Most chicken keepers end up
growing just those flowers which aren't eaten by chickens. Mine have
recently taken to eating oregano ...

They need grit which you can buy from poultry feed supplieers, as well as
oyster shell. Sand isn't the same as either. It's quite a complicated
process.

Poultry keepers disagree about what grains are best for chickens - so do the
chickens. Mine won't touch pellets of any kind but will eat cut corn (maize)
and grain. They will sometimes eat ground soya and will ALWAYS eat whatever
we're eating! If we're eating out and I hold a piece of bread carelessly
they'll eat the jam or butter from the top and only the bread when all
that's gone. They LOVE cheese or any milk derivitives (but not milk itself).

They will scratch in the ground for worms, slugs (some types), snails (some
types), woodlice, centipedes and almost anything which crawls - but not all
caterpillars. They will eat some flies and midges, but not all. The same
with some spiders and butterflies or moths - they can be very picky.

If I were you I'd let the land grow what it does naturally and see what the
hens go for then grow more of that, grubbing up what they ignore. They must
have grain available at all times.

Poultry keepers disagree about this matter as they do about anything else. I
suggest you ask on sci.agriculture/poultry and see what that fetches up :-)

Whatever you do, you'll love having poultry!

Mary






Perhaps also plants
that attract insects that the chickens can eat too. Any suggestions
anyone?
--
David
... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk
... Blog at http://dlts-french-adventures.blogspot.com/