[AG-EQ] Garden Greens for Goats & Chickens

[dogwood farm]

Garden Greens for Goats & Chickens
Bramblewood Farm

There are garden greens that are good for both goats & chickens. But
some garden greens areThis list identifies greens from your garden
that are good for chickens and/or goats and greens that you shouldn't
feed them. better for them than others and there are some that should
be avoided altogether because they contain substances that are toxic
to livestock.

This list identifies common garden plants that are safe for goats or
chickens, those that are safe if used with caution, and those plants
that should not be fed to them.

Of course, by knowing what excess you can safely feed from the garden,
you can cut down on the feed bill a bit. Or, you can plant extra in
the garden just for the goats and chickens!

The list is organized by plant family because plants within the same
family tend to have similar characteristics that make them suitable
(or unsuitable) for livestock consumption. So, even if a particular
plant is not listed, if you can identify the plant family it’s from,
you can get a general idea about whether to consider feeding it to
your goats or chickens.

It’s never a good idea to change the diet of any livestock suddenly,
so any of these plants should be introduced into the goat and chicken
diets a little bit at a time. Goats can be particularly susceptible to
sudden changes (see Feeding Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats) so introduce
new plants slowly and observe carefully.

Good Garden Greens for Goats & Chickens:

Cucurbitaceae Family
•pumpkins
•squash
•zucchini
•cucumbers
•melons

These vegetables are all great sources of nutrition for the herd or
flock and are also considered to be natural dewormers. We always grow
too many pumpkins and winter squash, but they can be stored and fed
through the winter!

Leguminosae Family
•beans
•peas, see (Growing Sugar Snap Peas)

Fresh green beans (avoid uncooked dried beans) and peas as well as the
plants themselves make a nutritious, high protein treat for goats and
chickens.

Gramineae Family
•corn

Corn is the original food used for chicken scratch and is often
already present in commercial goat and chicken feeds. It’s best fed in
moderation because it’s low in protein and nutritional value as well
as high in carbohydrates. The entire plant is edible but care should
be taken when feeding the stalks and leaves, too much can cause
problems in both chicken crops (stringy leaves can cause impacted
crop) and goat rumens.

Compositae Family
•lettuce
•Jerusalem artichokes
•sunflowers

All of these plants make great additions to their diets and sunflowers
can be dried to feed during the winter.

Umbelliferae Family
•carrots
•celery
•fennel
•parsnips

Chickens and goats tend to love the plants from this family which also
includes herbs like dill and parsley. Both the tops and roots can be
fed and are good for them.

Brassicaceae Family
•broccoli
•Brussell sprouts
•cabbage
•cauliflower
•kale
•turnips

The mature plants from this family are generally considered safe for
livestock; however, these plants contain glucosinolates, which can be
toxic to livestock. The toxins are found in the greatest amounts in
the seeds and young plants of these vegetables, so avoid them and feed
only small quantities of the mature plants.

Chenopodiaceae Family
•beets
•mangel beets (see Growing Mangel  Beets for Chickens)
•spinach
•swiss chard

Beet, spinach, and swiss chard greens all contain oxalic acid which
binds with calcium and can cause calcium deficiency. So, the greens
from these plants should be used sparingly. Beet and mangel beet
roots; conversely, are very nutritious and have been used as livestock
fodder for centuries.


Garden Greens To Avoid for Goats & Chickens
Amaryllidaceae Family
•onions

Onions contain a substance called thiosulphate, which can cause anemia
in livestock. Onions can also negatively impact the flavor of both
chicken eggs and goat milk.

Polygonaceae Family
•rhubarb

Rhubarb also contains high levels of oxalic acid (see the
Chenopodiaceae family above) and should be avoided. Rhubarb leaves are
considered to be highly toxic to goats, chickens, and humans.

Solonaceae Family (also known as nightshade family)
•eggplants
•peppers
•potatoes
•tomatoes

The vegetables from this family contain solanine which is considered
toxic to chickens and goats. It’s best to avoid feeding the members of
this family altogether.

Susan