My buns have liked pumpkin leaves in the past. Knowing that, I let some volunteer plants have their way, and they're now resembling kudzu. Good, thinks I, more fodder for the buns. But no-o-o-o, says they. The majority are ignoring the leaves. My doe freezer camp pen will give them a try, while the bucks enthusiastically tromp on them but don't eat them. My breeding does range from "meh" to downright offended. Why the picky, picky pumpkin eaters this year? A different type of pumpkin? Too big of leaves, too many prickers? Rabbit hormones? Or did I tempt the fates by publicly stating, prior to growing season, that my buns happily eat pumpkn leaves, so now they must publicly humiliate me? I'd really love to get the buns to eat them again. They did well with the leaves and vines in their diet in the past, and I now have so many growing!
picky, picky, pumpkin eaters...ban on leaves this year!!
- Thread starter the reluctant farmer
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dayna
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Time to get a couple goats. haha!
Oh, yeah! Rabbits will make liars of you if they can! 
I found that my rabbits would only eat the young tender pumpkin leaves, before they get bristly. Perhaps if you can get them eating the young ones, you can work up to older ones as the season advances.
I found that my rabbits would only eat the young tender pumpkin leaves, before they get bristly. Perhaps if you can get them eating the young ones, you can work up to older ones as the season advances.
or chickens. Chickens eat absolutely anything. Meat or plant. Although everyone said to give them a cabbage in the winter when bored and mine wouldn't touch it. I really wanted to see if the rumor chickens poop teal after eating purple cabbage was true.
They may just dislike the old leaves or maybe they got tired of pumpkin. I once fed my guinea pigs so many extra tomatos they stopped wheeking for food because they knew they'd just get tomatos. :lol:
. You know I would if I could. Your posts on making mozarella, butter, and all the other wonderful goodies have made me green with jealousy. But I'm pushing it with the buns in my current locale!dayna":18pcz31c said:
Besides, it would be my luck I'd end up with goats who had cucurbit intolerance or som odd thing.. Maggie, have you had any luck with buns eating the dried leaves in winter? I'm thinking of drying the big ol' picky ones in the hopes they aren't as bristly when dried, and that they look a bit more desirable when temps are below freezing. I 'd then start on the tender leaves for now. I'd hate to dry a bunch just to have them turn their twitchy little noses up at them.MaggieJ":18pcz31c said:Oh, yeah! Rabbits will make liars of you if they can!
I found that my rabbits would only eat the young tender pumpkin leaves, before they get bristly. Perhaps if you can get them eating the young ones, you can work up to older ones as the season advances.
__________ Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:50 pm __________
. Oh, that's funny and gross at the same time! If I could get chickens I'd definitely need to try that!akane":18pcz31c said:
:| hmph. There's probably some truth in that. They see me coming and think, "oh great, here comes Peter Pumpkin Eater's wife. Again. How hungry am I really?". Maybe I can chop them up & mix in with other more desirable items.akane":18pcz31c said:
I've never tried drying pumpkin leaves. We only grow a few, to provide the occasional winter meal for the buns and also for the seeds, which help fight parasites. The leaves and stems are fairly fleshy, so if you try it, keep an eye out for them going mouldy before they finish drying. Especially if your climate is humid.
