Chickens Like Tomatoes

One of the new varieties of tomatoes we are growing this year is called Orange Minsk.  These are large beefsteak-type tomatoes that ripen to a pale orange color. The Victory Seeds website, http://www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_orange_minsk.html, says that the seed for this variety was sent to them by Andrey Baranovski of Minsk who got this Belorussian heirloom from an old woman at the Minsk Farmer's Market in 2006.  Very Interesting!

Here is a picture of one of our first Orange Minsk tomatoes.  It started out green, but I don't think it is completely ripe because it is not "orange".   However, you can pick tomatoes when they are beginning to turn and they will finish ripening after you pick them.   Notice how much bigger than the other tomatoes this Orange Minsk tomato is!

However, I was very sad when I picked this tomato to see that it had a large bad spot on the bottom that went up into the middle of the tomato.  So, I took it out to see if the chickens would eat it.  We are finding that they will eat almost anything!

They have learned that when we come out to the pen, we usually bring them something to eat.  Here they are eagerly watching me to see what I have brought them.  

Normally, when we put something in their pen (unless it is an insect or caterpillar which they pounce on and gobble up immediately), they will inspect it closely.  Then one of them will peck at it, like this.

But, before long they are all gathered around pecking at it.
 

If it is a food they are fond of, they will kill it off in no time.  As it turns out, they really really like tomatoes.  This tomato did not last very long!

Notice the corn cobs on the ground.  The chickens like corn on the cob too!