Can geese eat alfalfa?

[Oatbucket]

I know they love grass and other such green forage, but what about in winter? Can they eat things like chopped alfalfa as a source of roughage?

 

[Cherie1n2]

Many hunters look for geese in alfalfa fields and according to fcps.edu geese geese do eat such things as: clovers, grasses, and crops like alfalfa and corn. I have heard that a variety of grass clipping and alfalfa tends to be more appealing and with any animal.. don't just give one food unless it's a commercial feed as the nutritional needs might not all be met.

 

[Tivona]

They may nibble at it but they don't seem to really like it other then for a few bites. I got some Alfalfa pellets a few winters back and had to sneak it into their feed. They didn't seem to care for it much. Before that I had some alfalfa that was loose from flakes that are feed to horses. They nibbled a few bites and then stopped. They never went back to it either. Hay is much more liked by my birds and others as well from all that I have heard. Some make a holder that can hold a flake of grass hay for their birds in the winter. Mostly I end up feeding pellets in the winter...

 

[Oatbucket]

What kind of pellets?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine like the timothy hay I buy for them at southern states.

 

[Tivona]

Waterfowl feed. Albers or Payback usually is what I get. Albers is lower in protein so better for adult birds. The Payback is high in protein and great for when they are still growing. After that it should be cut with something lower in protein like oats.

 

[Oatbucket]

I can't seem to find any waterfowl feed where I am. I can find things like Triple Duty feed, which is suppose to cover all types. And Manna Pro for baby chicks, goslings, and ducks. But nothing specific to geese or ducks.

How much hay do you think three geese will eat in a week during the winter?

What is the feed to oat ratio that you recommend? Also, can they eat black oil sunflower seeds?

 

[Tivona]

Black oil sunflower seeds (aka BOSS here on the forums) are great as an addition to feed but not as a main feed percentage for geese as I understand it. Think treat or supplement for the BOSS. As far as the hay I have given mine a bit but they mostly eat the pellets. Not sure if anyone feeds hay to geese as a main diet in the winter or not. Perhaps someone else can comment on this?

When it comes to the feed I know one locally that feeds game bird feed. Its very high in protein, around 30%. The Albers waterfowl feed that I use for adult birds is 16% crude protein. I have seen other waterfowl feeds at 14%. If you get a higher protein feed and want to cut it here is a calculator for mixing and balancing feed protein.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can't seem to find any waterfowl feed where I am. I can find things like Triple Duty feed, which is suppose to cover all types. And Manna Pro for baby chicks, goslings, and ducks. But nothing specific to geese or ducks.

How much hay do you think three geese will eat in a week during the winter?

What is the feed to oat ratio that you recommend? Also, can they eat black oil sunflower seeds?

I have a flock of 33 this includes 18 chickens 13 ducks and 2 geese and 1 bale of hay last all winter along with the fermented feed I offer. They nibble on it daily but don't eat it like actual hay eaters do. I usually have some left over to scatter around where they like to lay. I can't get water fowl feed here so I use Purnia Flock Raiser since it's suppose to be formulated for all poultry. I think you got so good feed there with Mana Pro.

 

[Oatbucket]

Black oil sunflower seeds (aka BOSS here on the forums) are great as an addition to feed but not as a main feed percentage for geese as I understand it. Think treat or supplement for the BOSS. As far as the hay I have given mine a bit but they mostly eat the pellets. Not sure if anyone feeds hay to geese as a main diet in the winter or not. Perhaps someone else can comment on this?

When it comes to the feed I know one locally that feeds game bird feed. Its very high in protein, around 30%. The Albers waterfowl feed that I use for adult birds is 16% crude protein. I have seen other waterfowl feeds at 14%. If you get a higher protein feed and want to cut it here is a calculator for mixing and balancing feed protein.

I thought about shortening it to BOSS but I've ran into people who didn't know what I was talking about in the past. We raised dairy goats for about ten years and fed BOSS during that time. Thank you do much for the link. I'm trying to learn everything I can about proper feed and care of geese. I want my babies to be happy and healthy and I want them to grow into happy, healthy adults that will live a long time.