using amaranth and field peas to feed goats and chickens

Question

I have heard all the amaranth plant is edible with the seed as a complete high protein grain, so I am thinking I can grow this to feed my goats and chickens. I plan to fence off a garden area to grow field peas (protein and nitrogen fixer) with amaranth and let it grow until a foot or so high in sectioned off paddocks, then let the animals go in to harvest the green peas and amaranth plants (and the chicken’s eating the buggs) until partly consumed, then shoo them out to another paddock to let it grow again and do this again until mid summer in central Georgia. Then, leave them alone to grow and dry, cut the amaranth heads first to dry, (I would make a fan powered separator to gather some seeds for our own use) then cut the forage peas and amaranth leaves with a sickle bar, let it all dry on the ground about late September through October keeping an eye out for rain, and then bundle it to serve as high protein hay the old way without bailing in a small pole barn. I think I could potentially grow all the food they need, selling eggs, meat goats, and later roasting hens. I am mentioning this because I hope someone has done something similar out there that could give some advice. Thanks, Russ

Answer 1

Although these foods are experimental, what results I am seeing seems like a viable option. It seems you will be limited to google searches, and the limited resources that others have tried. Trial and error will be a big thing at play here. This feed may need supplementation but it also may not.