Alfalfa poisonous for chickens

[HHandbasket]

If it was poisonous, none of my chickens would be alive!

Same here! Mine love it. In fact, it has good protein and is really good for them. If your chickens don't have access to fresh greens, toss some good alfalfa hay in the pen with them & they'll eat it up like candy! Well... mine do, anyway.

 

[centrarchid]

Alfalfa, like many forages chickens consume, can contain toxins that if consumed in excess can cause health problems for chickens. The same plants can beneficial in lower amounts. Think coffee for humans. Plants can also vary in toxin content with variety, parts consumed and growing conditions. Another factor is what else is in the diet. Other food items may have anti-toxin effects that counter what something like alfalfa has in it.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Any idea how much is too much? DH has been feeding alfalfa horse pellets that he soaks and dries out, then mixes with scratch to supplement during the winter. Darn hawk flies over too frequently to let them free range these days. Hens look great and yolks are again rich golden yellow.
Cost is comparatively low too: $10 on sale for 40# bag 16% protein vs $15 for 50 # of layer feed.

 

[centrarchid]

Any idea how much is too much? DH has been feeding alfalfa horse pellets that he soaks and dries out, then mixes with scratch to supplement during the winter. Darn hawk flies over too frequently to let them free range these days. Hens look great and yolks are again rich golden yellow.
Cost is comparatively low too: $10 on sale for 40# bag 16% protein vs $15 for 50 # of layer feed.

No, I do not know. Mine eat a good amount each day as well. They have access to the alfalfa free-choice (all they want) plus other options like layer pellets, scratch and BOSS. Problems might be realized if I come up short on other options and birds attempt to compensate by eating more alfalfa. On whole chickens seem pretty good about consuming a varied diet like we are supposed to consume.

 

[Hamburg]

Even though something stuck in my mind about alfalfa and I am the one that added the quote with information on it being poisonous at certain times. It is something to know, but not to be worried about. I have put three bales of hay through my 25 young chicks in the last three months without problem. Ate my fist egg from them this morning.

 

[rockinpaints]

This isn't right, is it? I'm sure I've read about lots of people feeding their chickens alfalfa.

http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxic1.html

The website doesn't explain why Alfalfa can be toxic to chickens. It is the Saponins in the Alfalfa, it can inhibit the growth of chicks and reduce the egg production of hens. I think if given regular feed and the option of alfalfa they might not eat enough to hurt them, especially if it is mix with grass hay (ours like to pick though the hay). If they are free ranging they generally will not eat toxic plants.

 

[Erica]

All my birds are on a diet of about 8% alfalfa (chaff).
I think Hamburg may be right (I seem to remember reading that it's a seasonal thing). I also gather that dried is safer than fresh.
Whatever the case, my birds are thriving, and I'm seeing no growth problems in chicks (if anything the opposite). I've currently got 9 week olds that were entirely raised on a home mix containing alfalfa. All are doing really well.
cheers
Erica

 

[peepblessed]

All my chickens have free access to alfalfa from day one. We have some really old timers to.

 

[DieterA]

saponins

 

[karlamaria]

I soak the alfalfa pellets in goat milk or yogurt and they love this as there last meal of the day. We let them eat grass, and of course there crumbles, but in the evenings before they go to bed, they get a nice portion of pelleted goodies.