Spring tonics for chickens

Even though we keep all of our chickens on range, there's a limit to how much greenery they can find in late winter and early spring.  Before grocery stores entered our hollers, Appalachian folks lived the same way, eating primarily canned vegetables through the winter.  By this time of year, they were dying for the first fresh produce --- a spring tonic that boosted their immune system and drove away the winter blues.

I think our chickens deserve the same kind of treatment, so I take care to hunt out greenery for them as early in the year as possible.  As I've posted in the past, chickweed starts growing very early and is a chicken favorite.  A bit later, creasies turn into the new succulent leaf of choice.  If you don't have either of these available, why not sprout a few extra seeds while planting the peas in your garden?  As long as you don't buy treated seeds (covered with a pink powder), your sprouted peas are a tasty and nutritious treat for your feathered friends.

Of course, greenery is nice, but any chicken will tell you that bugs are best.  If you stumble across any grubs while digging in the soil this spring, put them in a cup and toss them to your hens --- the chickens will go crazy over the nutritious treat.