Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Leafy Green Supplements
Poultry love green leafy vegetables. Ducks and geese attack greens ravenously. Chick-
ens and turkeys are nearly as appreciative. Many crops can be grown for poultry and fed
to them on a daily basis. Each crop thrives in particular climates and types of weather.
You'll even find that your flock is picky about which supplements are most satisfying.
You will have to give them samples to determine which feed your poultry like the best.
Lettuce
No matter which type of lettuce you choose to grow, the poultry will love any of it. Red
leaf, green leaf, head, and so on — they enjoy it all and all poultry will gobble it up
quickly. Lettuce can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring and
does well until the summer heat; what better way to clear your garden of heat-stressed
plants than to feed them to your poultry?
Cabbage and Its Relatives
Poultry love cruciferous vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts,
kale, collards, Essex rape, and kohlrabi. This group of plants is high in nutrition and can
be planted early in the season.
Cruciferous veggies must to be fed in moderation to laying hens, as they can impart
a strong flavor to the eggs. Occasional taste treats from this group during the laying sea-
son are okay, but go easy. Because these vegetables are still growing in the late fall and
early winter during molting season, it's best to feed them to your flock then; you can
give them all they want and not affect egg quality.
