12 Weeds That Can Feed Your Chickens For Free!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

EDITORS NOTE: I noticed a few errors in the video after posting. 1) PURSLANE is misspelled 2) OXALIS is incorrectly labeled as Sow Thistle 3) SOW THISTLE is incorrectly labeled as Lamb's Quarter My apologies for any confusion these errors may have caused.

[@chriswillock2177]

No big issue. Not all those weeds grow up here in northern Alberta anyway lol.

[@mysparky2011]

No confusion. Just thought you'd like to know. I hadn't known weeds were so packed full of nutrients. Now I feel guilty for pulling them 😊

[@jeanniebair4103]

I have every one of these growing where I live and my chicken love them. Just subbed

[@thekatt...]

This old lady learned alot from this video. Well done buddies ! 👍🇨🇦

[@normbograham]

Am I perfect? No. Am I working to be a better person? Also no. (love that shirt).

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Steve has some great funny shirts he likes to wear!

[@earlineholland6877]

Wonderful video, just in time, I am "re-doing" my garden and working in my orchard !! ❤🎉😊

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Wonderful!

[@KeoniKoa]

Great video! Been seeing a few of these on my 73 acres. My first 9 chicks aren't old enough yet and my second batch of 32 chicks haven't arrived yet, but should be here on the 12th. Can't wait to let them run the land. Thanks for this video!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

That is awesome!

[@Stevemacleod58]

This video has some great information on not only giving your chickens a variety of healthy wild edibles, but you can also save you money as well. Win, Win.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks!

[@ahvc6180]

We grow duckweed in our large aquarium and give it to the chickens.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great idea! The chickens probably love you for doing this!

[@revk8611]

Hello from Canada! Really enjoy your videos. Learned a lot from this one but mostly, must find where Steve got that T-Shirt! 😂

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

😂 I’ll ask

[@brightantwerp]

Great info, thanks. I feed my chickens dandelions, clover and plantain, but did not know about the other weeds. Love your channel, always very informative.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@ruthlongridge2137]

Thank you and bless you for this

[@perspectiveiseverything1694]

Apparently my yard is begging for chickens! Almost every one of these weeds are flourishing on my 1 acre lot. 😁 🐔

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

🤣

[@CriaAndKiddFW]

I just got my 12 last week and am slowly feeding them small bits in their brooder. I've got 4 acres waiting for them to enjoy! 😂😂😂

[@bjornstacy9590]

Another weed you can add to the list that my Chickens love is Spanish Needle aka Bidens alba, they are also a favorite of the bees

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great tip!

[@chifukazulu2412]

Loved your presentation

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thank you!

[@larrylewis3573]

Dear Hobby Farm Guys, I have been wanting to watch this programme, but kept putting it off. Then, you just posted a quiz on weeds. This prompted me to watch this programme. A very valuable video. It is good to know how beneficial weeds can be for chickens, and how to reduce the cost of feed. Thank you for a timely programme. Sincerely, Larry Lewis Ontario, Canada.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks Larry!

[@augustrain5500]

Terrific info guys! Thanks for giving us chicken fans some interesting and healthy treat alternatives to give our flocks. Great video. I always look forward to your next video effort too!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks so much!

[@ColleenCurrier-dp6qb]

Thank You for telling us all. May God bless ya 'all.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@williamgargoyle9721]

This was great! Thanks, guys.🙏🏽

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Our pleasure!

[@chriswillock2177]

Excellent information fella's. Had no idea of the value of these weeds. May plant them near my coops and start harvesting them for my birds.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great idea!

[@richarddimsdale6232]

Thanks for educating me on the weeds in my lawn

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

You are very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@SteveLast-hp6uv]

In my yard if it's green I consider it grass and just mow over it.

[@MegaSnail1]

Wow! You guys are awesome. Love your presentation and your depth of knowledge. Thank you for sharing.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@jdgibs3446]

From Texas, I enjoy your videos. Appreciate your sharing your experience and knowledge. Keep sharing. Looking forward to to the next one. ☝🙏🙌💪

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks so much. Love Texas by the way…former Abilene resident.

[@corinneyeager]

Sounds like GREAT FOR PEOPLE food.... Survival food if nothing else 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Most of it is!

[@booswalia]

I eat most of that stuff myself. Purslane is really good and so is Lambs Quarter.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

It sure is!

[@southwestlivingwithval]

Thank you for the information. I have a lot of those weeds here, but I did not know what they were. This will be great when I get my chickens. Thanks again. Hugs and blessings always

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad to help!

[@dmcg040utube]

This is awesome and now a part of my folder!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!

[@arcelesp7878]

Cooool very good information how about morning glory , they love it but I don't know if is good or not!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Morning glory is poisonous to chickens. If they are foraging they will most likely avoid it. If they are confined, don’t feed it to them.

[@garybrinker4522]

I like to eat the pods from the Wood Sorrow..I also have an abundance of a plant that resembles Basil, and has Purple colored curley leaves as it matures, and smell like licorice when crushed, and Chickens love it. Haven't seen it anywhere but in my old orchard, so I don't know where it came from..Also makes a good ground cover..

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for sharing!

[@glintinggold]

I'll bet it was basil, someone planted from a start served them at the Pho shop. Thai basil yum yum

[@heavymechanic2]

This is interesting because I put up a run extension around my coop area ( just welded wire) and the chickens cannot wait to be let out to forage vegetation and bugs. The grass and weeds never get out of control reducing labor from mowing.

[@flatwaterbeliever7865]

Weeds are medicinal❤

[@bettyadkisson1681]

Thank you I will sure let my friends know .

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Awesome thank you! And thanks for watching!

[@aristapaz2672]

I've learned so much from your high-quality videos! Highly Informative and Very Useful!!! Many thanks!!!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks so much for the glowing review!

[@lajoyalobos2009]

I've tried growing purslane in the past and realized very quickly that it actually prefers poor soil. The plants in the fancy potting mix didn't do so well. You can also just chop it up into pieces a couple inches long each and just scatter them. Don't do this if you only want a few though, because it can potentially get out of hand very quickly.

[@RaptureHermit]

THANKS ! JOHN 3;16

[@lisagayhart2482]

Wow! Learned a bunch. I leave most of these in my lawn . I like wild alfalfa too. Wild bunnies like these weeds too.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Some of them are great for pet rabbits too!

[@jayjalocon5800]

In Philippines we rich in azola , because we have all year raining season and you can find azola everywhere, we feed azola to pigs, chicken, goat, tilapia fish, rabbit, cow, horse, ducks, turkey, they love azola weeds so much, and some azola we dry it in sun then put to pelletized machine to extend it's life

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Use those resources!

[@MyTNMtnHome]

My girls love plantain! Just noticed this the past few days. They rush to it.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

It’s a favorite!

[@thefrenchgardener1865]

Terrific presentation guys! It was good to hear the names and see the pics of the weeds....I am pretty sure I have most of them on my property. That thorny nettle seems to grow in my compost pile a lot....not sure why but now I know what I can do with it. Thanks again.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks again for watching our videos!

[@thefrenchgardener1865]

@@HobbyFarmGuys You are very welcome! Not sure who does all the research and takes all the great pictures (like in this one of the weeds)...but you guys are a great team....and more helpful than you may realize to us novices.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Most of the pictures are from a photo service, or free internet pictures. Occasionally we include our own.

[@ikedichiokezie5293]

Highly educative, feeding is the most critical input in poultry farming

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Agreed!

[@TheFrogfeeder]

I got 26 mcmurray ginger broilers turning a field of yellow star thistle into my dinner as I type.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

The best way to handle weeds? Turn them into a delicious chicken dinner!

[@deedahl2866]

Lamb's Quarter! I have a large area growing it out. Just a few plants will give you enough seeds to spread it to much larger plots.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Definitely!!!

[@FirstClassPirate]

Nice work gentlemen.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thank you!

[@justinsane7128]

We appreciate your work 🤠

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thank you! We appreciate our viewers taking the time to watch!

[@dinavoutour7796]

Thanks I enjoyed this video and I learned a lot!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad to hear it!

[@jerriscollins-ruth9019]

Thanks Guys

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

You are welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@royakard8536]

Thank you for this video guys. I built a wire covered open air run for my coop over the winter. I planned to use it to grow things for my birds to naturally forage in safely.. lucky for me.. I've got LOADS of dandelion in my yard.. I'll be picking some of those and just softly making sure they get slung all over my new run.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

If it's like my place, it will grow there whether you want it to or not!

[@royakard8536]

@@HobbyFarmGuys Im going to go out in my yard and pick those seed pods before I mow.. Then ever last one of them will go into my run. It's free and I like it.. I'm hoping on a few years maybe to sell some chicks and expand. Your channel is helping me learn quickly.

[@Spark_Iskra_z_Polski]

​@@royakard8536Try making chicken tractors or let your chickens do their work on their own. No need to mow then :) you can keep them in place with a movable short wire fence.

[@cynthiabouffard5095]

Great info I got to get to it with my chicken's!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for watching!

[@evelynrogers7145]

A,ways enjoy your videos. Good info

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks!

[@angelaabbas1526]

Has anyone tried dehydrating these plants to feed during winter? Does that work or does it just make green dust to get wasted on coop floor?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Sometimes it's easier to dry them before feeding. Haven't tried dehydrating though. 🤔

[@ss-kz9ee]

Weeds grow to repair the soil.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

They sure do!

[@GrowingwithAnastasia]

Amen 🙏🏽

[@yzettasmith4194]

Great idea for a video! Not being a hater, just pointing out purslane was spelled wrong and the names of plants and pictures did not correlate towards the end of the vid. I'm sure you guys are busy, but hopefully there can be further editing and a re-post later?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for the feedback! We noticed that after posting as well. We're working it.

[@mysparky2011]

I too have them all!! I've spent years pulling and disposing of even tiny purslane plants. Even broken pieces will root. My vegetable garden is purslane and twitch grass free now. It was alot of bending over with my trowel digging out roots 🎉. Thanks for all the information about them. When I get my chickens this spring, I'll have to seek out purslane as it does sound healthy. I used to nibble on some. Your video on weed 10 and 11 shows the wrong name for the weed. Thought you would like to know 😊 Have a great spring.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

😔 Yeah...we noticed the errors after posting. Thanks for sharing!

[@Naturelover00023]

Hi first time I run into your videos. Very informative, I know some of these weeds but didn’t know about all the nutrients. I only knew the purslane is very nutritious, I’m Mexican , we call them verdolagas. They’re a little pricey because they cook down like spinach so you need a good quantity. We eat it in salsa stews. It’s a delicious dish. Look up Pork in salsa with verdolagas if interested. Don’t eat the very thick stems if you’re harvesting at home because they’re too fibrous, not pleasant. But chickens will eat all parts of the plant. Congrats great job guys I loved the video. ❤

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for the info!

[@CFarnwide]

Great topic! Personally, ever since starting a flock, I quite trying to “weed” the yard. Especially dandelions, our ladies love them! Why get rid of free chicken food? 😉

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Agree!

[@robertmarsh8334]

My girls react to the heart-shaped clover (I always called it dear clover) like it's a special treat

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

It is a treat!

[@l.dschick-inn-palacecrafts6174]

Howdy from TX fellas. Whats fed in the winter if someone isn't feeding grain feed to the Flock? Thanks bunches for the info.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Grains are a regular part of our chickens diet year-round. When weeds and crops are available, we supplement their feed with these, but it isn't 100% of their diet. Of course, some people grow fodder and crops indoors or in greenhouses to feed during winter.

[@l.dschick-inn-palacecrafts6174]

@@HobbyFarmGuys so if someone has a corn allergy, would corn fed feed be converted through the egg or would those consuming that egg have potential reaction? Do you know this answer? It may sound like a dumb question. I want to get away from eating grain and need to know if consuming the eggs are like consuming the grain. Thanks so much if you are able to answer this

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

That is a great question! I did little research and could not find any studies involving corn allergies specifically, but did involve peanut and soybean allergies. The study found that when chickens are fed these foods, the allergenic proteins were not present in either the eggs of layer hens or the meat of broiler chickens. I would assume it would be the same with corn, but I am not a doctor, chemist or biologist.

[@l.dschick-inn-palacecrafts6174]

@@HobbyFarmGuys could you paste that study you read here for me pretty please 🙏. Thank you for looking and responding to my questions. ❤️❤️‍🩹

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

@@l.dschick-inn-palacecrafts6174 Sorry for the late reply. It can be hard to see a reply to a comment from several days ago. Here is a link to a page the study can be found on: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.9b03218

[@rustycamaro]

My Tortoises eat the weeds that the chickens don't.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Awesome!

[@mehtarelingolien]

Concerning dandelions: be sure to keep some around for bees!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Plenty to around for all at my place! But yes…the bees depend on them early in the year around here.

[@aaron-dd5zr]

Chicweed for you in the colder climates, grows mainly in cool and cold weather, Fall, Winter and early cool spring weather. It does not grow in hot weather “at all”. But it is in fact only dormant until the cool weather arrives.. . You can easily harvest it for cool and cold weather times. It will grow a winter long,. You guys need more weed education. Good thing you got a landscaper here.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks!

[@GrowingwithAnastasia]

Hello from Laveen 😊 I was very disappointed to find out we shouldn’t feed the stinknet here in Phoenix to the chickens or livestock. Hope we can find and eco friendly way to get rid of this invasive weed soon.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

We have a big problem with invasive weeds too! Hope all is well with you!

[@novembersunflower968]

Do you mean Skunkvine? Because thats edible. Try researching it. Good luck. 💚🌻

[@GrowingwithAnastasia]

@@novembersunflower968 No it’s stinknet also known as globe chamomile. It’s invasive and not good even for goats or any livestock to eat.

[@MichelleMcDines]

I wish I could get my hens to eat weeds. I have a constant battle with nettles in the garden and was one of the reasons I got the hens. But they won't touch them. They ignore dandelions, plantain, wild lettuce and if I bring through the grass cuttings from the front garden (which is more weeds than grass) they just scratch about for a few minutes for bugs then lose interest. But they make a beeline for my kale, cabbage, sprouts, lettuces etc. So I spend a fortune on pellets (mainly because rats eat so much). I've tried reducing the pellets quantity to try to encourage them to eat other things but then each time I go out to the garden they dash over and ask for more food. Any tips on encouraging them to eat weeds?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

It can be tough. Mine won’t eat certain weeds either, but they do eat some and stay out of the vegetable garden (usually). You can try picking some and putting them in with their feed. They might develop a taste for them that way. As for the rats eating pellets…we use a “no waste” feeder that hangs from above. The chickens have to put their head up into it to eat, and very little ends up at ground level to encourage the rodents to feast.

[@MichelleMcDines]

@@HobbyFarmGuys could you give me a link to the sort of feeder you mean? I looked at pedal operated ones but the rats weigh more than the hens lol

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Here is a link to a kit that I used to transform a 5 gallon bucket into a feeder: www.amazon.com/s?k=no+waste+chicken+feeder&adgrpid=85622283335&hvadid=617073496267&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9029601&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16377152812058830331&hvtargid=kwd-307040019962&hydadcr=15220_13597804&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_8jmnb9dkmk_e I believe some sell the complete feeder, and there are several designs.

[@lindabirmingham603]

Great video! One correction though. Plants do not contain ANY vitamin A (retinol). They contain carotenoids including beta carotene and xanthophylls ( lutein and zeaxanthin). Chickens do not absorb and utilize beta carotene, they use the xanthophylls ( lutein and zeaxanthin) to make vitamin A. Humans are very poor converters of beta carotene to usable vitamin A. Over 40% of the world's population can't convert any beta carotene to vitamin A. The rest only a very small percentage. Yes folks, we have been and are still being lied to about this. I was eating a ton of veg high in beta carotene and thought I was getting all the vitamin A I needed. Not so. Humans should eat eggs yolks, butter, and some liver (if you like it) for bioavailable vitamin A.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for the info!

[@flatwaterbeliever7865]

This is just a comment i have to say... we chicken lovers start looking like our chickens😂...i see your 🐔 chickens😂❤ i mean 🐓 roosters 🐓 ❤❤

[@AnimeDreamingEcchi]

So can I grow all of this on my backyard pasture together ?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Some of the weeds may try to take over if you aren’t careful, but yes.

[@AnimeDreamingEcchi]

@@HobbyFarmGuys I have a question, does Lesser Trefoil grow well with grass? My lawn is full of Lesser Trefoil , is it ok or will it kill the grass cause I barely see any grass

[@corinneyeager]

Lambsquarters buds are quite tasty...

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

They are!

[@lindafair4286]

I live in Zone 9 in Central florida and only 3 weeds in this video grow here. Can you provide a list for our area? thanks

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

I’m not too familiar with the area (other than vacations). I’ll do some research & post it here later.

[@corinneyeager]

Add kelp for additional minerals

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

👍

[@kamauwikeepa7308]

A lot of weeds I reserve for myself, like cow thistle, fay hen or as you call it lamb's quarter are very popular in my culture, which is unfortunate for the chickens.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

There seems to be enough weeds for the chickens and people at my place! 😂

[@milagrosripski7679]

If my yard has a number of these already, will the chickens just eatwhat they want if they can feed open range?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Depending on what is available to forage, they will eat some of these. It also depends on what they like and what they need.

[@infocat13]

Idea! use duckweed with ducks on with fish aquaculture?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great idea!

[@SchweersBulosan]

Do you raise laying hens or meat chickens?

[@sammy4395]

Just discovered your channel and was quite interested to hear what you had to say. It was quite informative but you need to reedit as near the end the plants you were talking about were not what was printed up on the video . E,G. Oxalis was listed as Sow Thistle and Sow Thistle was written up as Lamb's Quarter. You may want to correct those .

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Yes. We have punished our editor severely! We pinned a comment with corrections.

[@AuraLee-LMT]

Please tell me if its safe to let my chickens eat goutweed aka bishops weed, ground elder, snow in the mountains, etc.. ?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great question. While the plant contains potentially toxic levels of nitrates, it doesn’t seem to bother chickens much & they typically won’t eat enough of it for it to be a problem. I wouldn’t intentionally feed it to them.

[@AuraLee-LMT]

@@HobbyFarmGuys Guess I better move them then. I was going to let them graze in it. Because I have it everywhere. Thank you 😊

[@DarrellNewman-iz1pq]

What God gave us for medicine and food, we call weeds and destroy

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Truth!

[@adamavery9777]

God is good! It's a blessing that people like you put out this information. Thank you so much!

[@loriekaczmarek9788]

Not me, I garden farm them as well as gather them. I can and dehydrate them. Make tinctures, balms, teas,ect. And feed chickens.

[@WillieRobertMcKasson]

Not we because not everyone does and Not me!

[@geraldinesisk2702]

People can eat a lot of these plants

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

We sure can!

[@lenard6910]

Dandelion farming should be a thing.

[@ruthromer777]

​@@lenard6910yes it should. I grow dandelion on purpose year-round in my greenhouse

[@chrispaulus4491]

@@lenard6910 I’ve got a field of them right behind the house 😂

[@simonesmit6708]

​@@lenard6910 it is a thing in parts of Europe.

[@endsina1270]

15:00 this isnt lambsquarter, as you highlighted on screen.

[@SolomonGrumpie]

Booooooo Suns! Mavs coming back strong next year 💪

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

☀️😁☀️

[@stephaniekramer1430]

I have many of these weeds in abundance, but the chickens do not seem to eat them. How do I introduce these weeds as a food source? I have called them and offered them to the chickens, but they don’t touch them

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

I like to pick some, tear them up and mix in with their feed, Chickens don't always take to new foods right away, so do it regularly for a week or two. If they still don't eat it, they might just not like it. Not all chickens like all the things we try to feed them. Try just one at a time until you figure out what they like.

[@endsina1270]

the humming from speaker static each time you talk, dang.

[@gailwells9309]

What about comfrey

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Absolutely!!!

[@mr.c7522]

i see chicory all along the highway

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Free food for chickens!

[@deispe4729]

can you supply seeds for these weeds can goats safely consume shalom

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

We don’t sell seeds or plants. I’m not familiar with shalom.

[@snakepliska837]

Dodder is the worst of weeds!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Yes it is!!

[@snakepliska837]

@@HobbyFarmGuys I hear it is medicinal but I don't care. I'd rather have a healthy garden.

[@nosretep1960]

Love the no...😂

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

😂

[@WilliamFluery]

We have weeds because Eve then Adam ate from the tree of knowledge…Arrrrrrgggg

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Yup! 😡

[@richardmckinney2646]

Only if I starve my chickens will eat henbit

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

😂

[@aaron-dd5zr]

Lol, all weeds are invasive. Remember if you want a nice lawn. Keep your Chickens and any other Birds you raise, off of it. Those weeds they eat have seeds, and out the in the birds poop it goes Nicely fertilized seeds . Well there goes your lawn. So keep them in their area and of course the birds love the woods for the main course of tics and many other delicious bugs they like, keeping ants and termites away from your house.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Well said

[@timgriffith2094]

Whoever edited this video got the names of some of the weeds wrong.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Yes. We have punished the editor & pinned a comment at the top with corrections. Thanks for watching!

[@timgriffith2094]

@@HobbyFarmGuys you’re welcome, I enjoyed the video

[@devinpatterson2185]

Homeboy look like he's got acid reflux.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Maybe a bit! 🤣