Backyard Sustainably Grown and Fed Chickens

"Bob Cannard, of Green String Farm, has farmed sustainably for 30 years. His father Bob Cannard Sr. was an avid advocate of backyard chickens, particularly in Sonoma, CA. We asked Bob Cannard how he would feed chickens locally. He provided the following chicken meal plan.

Free range:
Within a fenced backyard, periodically rotate chickens in your garden. They will scratch the fence up a bit, but will keep the grass mowed.
With larger property, chickens can free range on a rotational pasture.
Orchards are a great place to let chickens run around.
A good Winter ground cover for chicken runs is crimson clover.

Greens:
For egg laying hens provide 60-70% greens.
Too many greens aren't good for growth or egg laying.
They like greens that are soft, leafy and palatable.
Some good greens are: kale, Swiss chard, beet tops, amaranth, and some comfrey (not a lot).
Kale is a source of protein.
Avoid less sweet greens like mustard.
Pick, chop up, drop in.
Greens are great as long as the chickens are not de-beaked.
Phytochemicals come from greens.

Grow an old fashioned crop of corn as a protein source.
Flint or semi-flint type corn is best--never hybrids or GMO's.
Good choice are Semi-Flint, Semi-Sweet, Country Gentleman.
Feed whole corn kernels---just shell off from the cob.
Corn dried on plants will keep for feeding later.
For 20 chicken you need 1/8 acre of corn.

Alternates to Corn are Millet and Milo and are sources of protein easier to grow than corn. Their yield can be lower depending on how it grows on your property.

All kitchen scraps. Everything from the kitchen including cheese and meat.

Garden Waste:
Weeds - a wheal barrow load each day for 20 chickens.
Anything no longer edible for humans (but nothing rotten or moldy)
Melons, squash, etc.
Pumpkins in the winter are a source of protein. Grow pumpkins around the corn. Chop up the pumpkins and feed all winter long. Get full sized pumpkins: i.e. New England Pie or, slightly bigger, Howden.
A couple of dozen plants are needed for 20 chickens.
20 tons of pumpkin can be gotten from one acre.

Any Squash is a source of protein.
In the Winter: Winter Squash and Butternut Squash
In the Summer: Zucchini, which is high in protein

Other helpful information:
You probably won’t be able to grow all the food you need for your chickens, but you can definitely grow most of it. To feed a flock of 20 chickens once a day, it should take on average 10 minutes. (Some days it will be longer and other days just a few minutes.)
Chickens are extremely efficient animals - converting 7lbs of feed to 1 lb of body.

General Sustainability:
Keep the pen clean.
Conserve manure for compost, and put it back on what you are growing for their food. "

Interview by Deborah Grace Craft at http://www.sustainablechicken.com/.
Learn more from an additional interview by Deborah---"Introduction to Robert Plamondon", (Oregon farmer and writer of practical free-range poultry rearing).