alfalfa cubes = big flop!

[technodoll]

My will-eat-anything-out-of-gluttony flock turned their noses up at their breakfast this morning - first time EVER!

What was different in this bowl?

Alfalfa cubes soaked in boiling water to make a fragrant green grassy paste!

I couldn't believe it. They love grass and anything green. Why would they turn their noses up at this??

I have a GIANT BAG sitting in my pantry now!

 

[Quailbuddy]

maybe try it with some juice instead of water . . . or just dry

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
You could all ways try it again and see what happens.
If they don't take to it you could all ways use it in a flower garden or if you have a garden use it in there..

Note -- If you are going to use it in a flower garden or a vegetable garden, soak a batch up the night before and then when you dig the hole for the plant put a hand full at the bottom of the hole with a good 2 hand fulls of soil on top of the soaked Alfalfa cubes then put your plant on top of the soil...

Chris

 

[Shared Acres]

The ONLY way I can get mine to eat it is if it is mixed with Strawberry yogurt--and typically more yogurt then alfalfa!

BTW, don't leave the bag on your counter, I don't know how many people come over and ask if that's my "stash." And NO, I don't smoke pot.

 

[weedemnreap]

It works great for roses - time released and all!

 

[technodoll]

Well, that's alot of good ideas right there - thanks!!

I'll try again mixed in their breakfast but in much smaller quantities.

If that fails, I'll either re-use the soaked cubes in the garden or treat the two horses on our land...

 

[Cindy in PA]

Did you have it in a dish or thrown on the ground? Mine weren't wild about them at first, but I would throw the wet cubes that I broke apart into the run and they would spend all day scratching through it. By the end of the day only stems were left.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I never soaked mine in boiling water. Ordinary tap water gets the job done.

Chickens are not ruminants so they can only eat a limited amount of rough forage - even alfalfa.

What I did was soak a double handful of the range cubes along with about an equal amount of whatever I was using for scratch at the time. Once the alfalfa was soft I poured the water off and fed it out. I put together a little trough made from wire window screen to feed it in.

I have since gone over to using alfalfa pellets which are smaller, about like what pelleted chicken feed looks like. Even in that form they can only eat a limited amount so I mix a little into their grain feeders.

.....Alan.

 

[technodoll]

With all these great suggestions, I'm sure to use up the giant bag of alfalfa cubes before the summer!

THANK YOU!