5 Tips Flock Forage Bundles, Free Snacks For Chickens
I’ll be sharing tips for creating healthy snacks to provide your flock with the benefits of green vegetation even in the depths of winter. A few important disclaimers first.
*Flock forage bundles are SNACKS, meant to be given as supplements or treats and they ARE NOT complete nutrition for chickens. Your domesticated chickens are OMNIVORES meaning they need both protein and vegetable matter to be healthy and perform at their best. Flock bundles are not a substitute for complete poultry feed.
*NOT ALL WEEDS ARE SAFE FOR CHICKENS. It is your responsibility to appropriately research and identify which wild plants may be edible and safe for chickens in your region. Begin by researching what weeds are common in your region. Narrow this list further by the weeds you have access to in your own backyard. Then, individually research which of these may be safe for chickens. Never forage from private or public property without the appropriate permissions. Not all regions or areas allow foraging. You can use a plant identification app or a plant identification book or pamphlet to help grow your plant identification skills.
*Be certain the plants you are gathering have not been treated with yard chemicals or pesticides. These chemicals even when the plants have been washed can cause injury or worse to your chickens.
*Never force chickens to eat something they’re reluctant to. Chickens have senses that we don’t and if something is unappealing to them, it is for a reason.
*I’m not a veterinary professional. Your choices for the care of your livestock are solely your responsibility.
I maintain our backyard as a grazing area for my small family flock. I don’t use chemicals of any kind to ensure the plants I gather intentionally for my chickens will be safe. I also have worked to propagate specific plants that are edible for my chickens in their grazing area. My forage bundles contain: Broadleaf plantain, white clover, red clover, violets, lemon balm, mint, yard grass that has gone to seed, and dandelions.
The equipment I use is a sharp pair of scissors, a large piece of jute twine, and a paper label to mark which plants I gather and the date.
When I’m harvesting plants for my chickens first I positively identify the plant. Then I examine the leaves for any insects or insect eggs. Once I’ve determined the plant is the correct one, I use my scissors to harvest the leaves and/or the blooms of the plant. I don’t harvest more than 1/3 of any plant that way they can continue to grow and seed in my chicken yard.
I let my flock show me what greens they find the most desirable in the chicken yard. While I was gathering plants Starshine showed me she was really enjoying some yard grass that gone to seed under the apple tree. Since my hen showed me she was naturally inclined to eat this grass and seed, I included in the forage bundle.
Too many grasses and fibrous materials in your chicken’s diet can cause impacted crop or sour crop. If your flock is like mine and only have a small area to graze or they live partially or fulltime in confinement poultry grit in a free choice dish or dispenser is essential to their health. I also provide oyster shell in a free choice dispense for my flock. These inexpensive supplements are essential for your flock’s health, wellbeing, and productivity.
Once I’ve gathered all of my forage plants, I stack them largest to smallest on my garden table or any clean surface with the stems all facing one direction. If you’re concerned about dirt on the plants, you can rinse them in a salad spinner or in your sink, this step is optional. I then tie the bundle on the stem side with the jute twine. I create a label which lists all the plants that are included and the date. I hang my bundle to dry someplace that is dry and warm out of direct sunlight. Moist or cold conditions can cause your bundles to rot. If you’re hanging herbs or forage bundles for the first time you may want to experiment to find the perfect drying spot in your home. In a few months, once the chicken yard is full of ice and snow, I’ll add these bundles back into my flock’s diet combined with their fermented feed and kitchen scraps for a nice nutritious treat.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post about gathering free forage bundles for your chickens in your own backyard to provide them with great snacks now and all winter long. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out Chuck’s other social media for more backyard chicken and homesteading content.
Chuck and the Chicks 