Hens of Summer Love Clover

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These hens wandered in front of my trail camera.  They were hunting bugs and seeds in a clearing which I created and planted with clover.  I don’t know if they had no young poults or if the poults were off the camera.  I hope they did have a young ones, but hens with no poults form little flocks of their own so its hard to tell.

 

Planting Clover

As you hoist you tom to carry it out of the woods, think about putting something back into the woods. You can easily make a nutrient rich food plot for hens and poults in the summer and fall. Poults in particular need bugs by the bushel for protein to fuel their rapid growth. Clover makes excellent brood habitat for poults because clover patches are insect rich.If you planted a clearing with clover you would enhance the habitat for turkey, grouse and deer

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To plant clover, remove all weeds, grasses and dead leaves to expose the soil. Break up the soil surface with a rototiller, diamond harrow or rake. If the soil supported grass and tall weeds like golden rod it will grow clover. On acidic soils, mix in pelletized lime (200 lbs per acre) to reduce soil acidity. This can be done up to a year before planting. In mid to late May spread Red Clover and Dutch White Clover seed mixed together with a hand spreader at a rate of 8 lbs of seed per acre. Ensure seed is mixed into the soil ¼ inch deep. Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer.

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