Zinc will also help strengthen your older hens’ eggshells. It can be grown in winter as well. Chickens enjoy eating edibles from this layer of the garden immensely. The best review I found of the nutritional benefits of sprouts can be found here, but a summary of some of the benefits includes: Year-round access to fresh greens regardless of the weather or outside growing conditions. Chickens can eat asparagus. Vitamin B6 is essential for chickens to use amino acids properly. Chickens can eat radish greens as they are a part of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables. Barrel medic, Medicago truncatula, a small legume native to the Mediterranean.Helps to maintain nitrogen levels in soil as well as providing nutritious greens.Buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum, grown mainly for it’s nutritious seed, this is also a useful green plant. Cauliflower leaves are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. Chickens can produce their own vitamin C but extra vitamin C can be helpful when chickens are experiencing heat stress. Hens require 2 grams of calcium to make one eggshell. Beet tops and leaves. It contains vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6. Giving them too much asparagus could alter the taste of your eggs so feed it to them in moderation if they like it. Chickens can eat cucumbers. Brussels sprouts. Besides water, cucumbers contain vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. Vitamin B2 prevents curled-toe paralysis and diarrhea, while vitamin B3 helps prevent inflamed tongue, bow legs, and cavity in the mouth. It is rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. if already sent. Last on our list is radish tops. They can also help improve the condition of the chickens’ skin and make them more reproductive. It is also essential for chickens’ immunity. (Want my favorite leafy green seed package for chickens? You will also find chickens pecking and eating cucumbers if it’s available to them. It’s definitely an upgrade on its cousin, the cabbage – although cabbages are also fine. Great green options for chickens are swiss chard, kale, broccoli, romaine lettuce, asparagus, cucumbers, turnip greens, radish tops, carrot tops, collard greens, cabbage, cauliflower leaves, brussels sprouts, and mustard greens. 13) Mustard Greens. 9. Winter will likely kill most natural plants near your chicken coop, so you'll have to supplement your chickens' diet with leafy green vegetables. They need the right amount of calcium to produce eggshells. Normally, chickens make their vitamin C, so an external source is usually not necessary. Free ranging chickens eat whatever looks good, so if they’re full from wheat fodder, so much the better. Ultimately, all of the supercharged nutrients the chickens gain by consuming sprouts will be passed on to their eggs – and you! It’s no mystery that greens and fresh vegetables are in rather short supply in most locales during the winter months. Just … These antioxidants can help fight against oxidative stress and toxins. Some of these nutrients include vitamin A, vitamin B6, biotin, potassium, and vitamin K1. Chicks can be introduced to fresh greens (like tender weeds with the roots attached for grit) for entertainment and to encourage foraging. Kale, collard, chard, and spinach provide a lot of essential nutrients for chickens. Not only can you feed the green carrot tops to your chickens but the carrot peel kitchen scraps as well. Greens . Acts as an antioxidant and can help prevent salmonella. If you’re wondering what kind of grass is best for grass-fed chickens, the answer is, “green grass.” What I mean is, lush green grass is loaded with vitamins and is has lots of available nutrients, but as it fades to brown, it becomes more and more useless to chickens. Broccoli a great green to feed your chickens. Peas. Queensland Arrowroot: an essential plant in warmer climates, as it provides a cool refuge on hot days. What are the best greens for chickens? Alfalfa is a healthy treat that can increase the omega-3s in their eggs, improve gut health, and increases the fiber in their diet. Romaine lettuce contains vitamin K, folate, and vitamin C. It also has minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and potassium. 2. Well, vitamin A plays a part in egg production, while manganese and calcium help with hatchability. I will give this to my chickens as they enjoy eating it. Chickens can eat turnip greens. Asparagus is not one of my flock’s personal favorites. If your flock is anything like mine then they won’t like everything on this best greens for chickens list. While I’ve currently downsized, I know how important it is to get information when you need it, https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-many-types-and-health-benefits-of-kale, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/broccoli#plant-compounds, https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/lettuce.html, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284103#nutritional_content, https://the-chicken-chick.com/why-water-is-critically-important-to, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumber#section1, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285961#nutritional_content, http://benisonmedia.com/%E2%80%8Brole-of-zinc-in-poultry-nutrition-and-feeding, https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/education/detail/what-to-feed-chickens-chicken-treats-to-feed-and-avoid, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277957#nutrition, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mustard-greens-nutrition#2, https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2016000100101, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/carrots#plant-compounds, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/asparagus-benefits#section2, https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/the-benefits-of-radishes#Nutrition-facts, https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/importance-of-vitamins-in-poultry-production, https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/vitamins-and-minerals-important-to-poultry, https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/chicken-treats/, https://www.btsa.com/en/effects-of-antioxidants-in-poultry/. After dinner, we often have leftover broccoli. Additional nutrients include vitamin A, magnesium, and vitamin K. This is healthy hydrating food for your chickens as cucumbers consist of 95% water content. Carrots are also very great sources of antioxidants. One of the best ways to use oregano as a medicinal herb for chickens is by adding fresh leaves to your chicken feed. Another option is to hang dried bunches of the herb in your chicken coop or run. Mustard greens also contain vitamins B1, B2, and B3. How to Pick the Best Feed for Your Chickens. You can feed them raw or cooked. A carpet of glorious sprouted grains may be one of the best gifts you can give a flock of chickens. Besides chicken feed, you can also give your chickens grains, greens (vegetables), and fruits as treats. Lettuce has little nutritional value and can cause the runs. However, too much of some can be bad. Asparagus is another type of green you can feed your chicken. Broccoli is also highly beneficial to chickens. Biotin helps prevent dermatitis in chickens which is often a problem found in broiler chickens raised for meat. Just the Facts, Does your garden produce too many Brussels sprouts for your…, Why Tomato Leaves Turn Yellow and How to Solve It, Planting time in your vegetable garden is a great time…, When walking out to your garden after heavy rain it…, Copyright © 2021 Cooped Up Life - Powered by Creative Themes. I grow a lot of different leafy green vegetables in my garden and my chickens get to sample most of them.