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Re: Pasturing chickens




I have 25 chickens that I tractor pasture out on my clover base market 
garden.  They really enjoy the large tender foliage the clover has to offer. 
  Usually they tend to attack it before the vegetable scraps that I feed 
them.  The clover bounces back very nicely, even after the chickens have 
torn the foliage down to bare ground.  Though pasture quality isn't my main 
concern, there are usually enough weed seeds and pests from years of neglect 
to keep the chickens quite satisfied.

I'm in the process of establishing a rye grass and clover pasture, but 
getting quite alot of burdened from candadian thistle.  Enough to limit my 
use of the pasture.  Currently it's used in the spring as a place for the 
cows to calve.

Joe Salatin has a few books out about grass based poultry and beef.  I'm 
sure he has some suggestions for pasture foliage.  Not sure off hand the 
names, but wouldn't take long to find out if interested.

Hope that helps

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