Alfalfa cubes

[Morrigan]

It's also easier to store than a bale of alfalfa. Sometimes in the summer, we get a bale and the rabbits and chickens split it. We just leave the bale outside, as it never rains in the summer here. In the winter, we have to jam it next to the straw bale in the shed and then do battle with the mice who think it is just the best thing ever. Like a gourmet feast we brought in just for them.

 

[aart]

Thank you. Now I can start making my list to get ready for my first winter with chickens. I have been using straw bales and noticed that they have "layers" that I can take apart. I guess those are the flakes!

Exactly!

It's also easier to store than a bale of alfalfa.

True Dat!!

I sewed up a 'bale bag' out of a couple of feed bags, keeps it from spreading all over my decent but not that large storage area in coop shed.

 

[kokosmom2]

Do the alfalfa cubes go bad? Last winter I soaked some in water a gave them to the hens but I've got almost a whole bag left. I was wondering if I should toss them out or are they still good for this coming winter. They are stored in my basement

 

[aart]

Do the alfalfa cubes go bad? Last winter I soaked some in water a gave them to the hens but I've got almost a whole bag left. I was wondering if I should toss them out or are they still good for this coming winter. They are stored in my basement

They should be fine if kept in a sealed bag to keep dampness away.

 

[MontanaChickDoc]

Use your nose to tell if they are still good. They should smell sweet and "grassy" not damp, moldy, or stale. Certainly there should be no actual mold on them of any color. Usually if they are kept dry (I don't know how dry your basement is) they will be fine. But you can smell if they are spoiled.

 

[perchie.girl]

Also keep ijn mind Bales come in all sizes depending on where you are in the US... Bales here in southern california are typically 100-125 pounds.

Alot of the feed stores here will allow you to fill bags up with rakings for nest boxes helps them keep the aisles clean and lets you have enough to fill nest boxes.

Grass hay can be:
Bermuda
Timothy
Orchard
or what ever the grower is growing at the time
Alfalfa here has as many as seven cuttings per year. The first three are kept exclusivly for cows.. Too rich for horses.

I give my chickens a flake of hay per week in each of the pens.... There is no grass here and they are very good about breaking it down and eating only the leaves. I buy Alfalfa for the goats and make them share with the chickens... LOL.,

The horse would love to have a flake of Alfalfa now and then but she is an air fern I only give it for mineral suppliementation

There is also a product here called Chaffenhay... Which is a chopped alfalfa preserved with molasiss and PACKed in baled bags. Here the goat people rave over it. And I am certain the chickens would like it as well. Feed molassis has almost no sugar in it and is used as a binder in some grains bringing down the feed dust. Its mineral rich... And can be bought by itself as a feed additive.

Though its a MESS to deal with.... We used to have to feed an elderly horse and used the molassis to bring the calorie count up as well as adding water to make the hay easier to chew. That was back in the sixties.... Nowa days There are feeds just for elderly horses.... and advanced vetrinary care.

I have fed the chickens cubes of alfalfa.... Wetted down.... As well as alfalfa pellets similar to rabbit pellets... Not wet.

So you just use what is avaliable including Table scraps and veggie trimmings...

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Do the alfalfa cubes go bad? Last winter I soaked some in water a gave them to the hens but I've got almost a whole bag left. I was wondering if I should toss them out or are they still good for this coming winter. They are stored in my basement

As long as they are kept dry and mouse free they should be good... As others have said smells good no mold...

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

It's also easier to store than a bale of alfalfa. Sometimes in the summer, we get a bale and the rabbits and chickens split it. We just leave the bale outside, as it never rains in the summer here. In the winter, we have to jam it next to the straw bale in the shed and then do battle with the mice who think it is just the best thing ever. Like a gourmet feast we brought in just for them.

Mice like it out side too... Just sayin... I keep my hay outside and covered to protect it from any dew which can cause issues as well. Keep it up on a pallet so moisture cant get to it from the ground. NO matter where you keep it... On concrete or on dirt... Id even put it on blocks of wood in the feed room.

deb

 

[kokosmom2]

Thanks for the replies. I will check them out later today The basement is dry cuz I have a dehumidifier running but the bag is not sealed

 

[Mosey2003]

You can use any of the products meant for horses or rabbits for chickens. Personally, I prefer alfalfa pellets to the cubes, and I wouldn't choose to have the timothy ones just because it's a grass rather than a legume, and lower in protein. That's just a preference though.

Whether you get cubes or pellets, you will need to soak them. The horse cubes especially are rock hard (you have to soak them for horses, too). Hot water takes at least half an hour, cold water I'd let them go overnight. The rabbit ones may be softer or soak up faster, I've never used those.