Alfalfa For Chix To Play With?

[turtlynne]

Would The Chix Like Some Alfalfa - A Flake Now And Then? - Or Perhaps Oat Straw Would Be Better; The Kind With Oat Heads Still In It?

 

[cafarmgirl]

I have always given my chickens a flake of alfalfa once or twice a week. They love to scratch it apart and pick out all the little leaves. Mine also have access to the oat hay my goats eat but they don't seem as interested.

 

[HippieChickens]

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[turtlynne]

Thanks so much for the replies - I was hoping that was the case! Know the 'girls' (and Louie) will be pleased.

 

[TurtleFeathers]

How about alfalfa cubes/blocks? Anyone ever tried them with chickens?

 

[Wifezilla]

On really cold days in the winter I soak a block in warm water and give it to the ducks. They love it. Haven't tried one on the quail yet. I imagine if I just gave them a hard cube they would pick it apart slowly. Hummmm.... NOTE TO SELF: Get more alfalfa cubes!

 

[CARS]

During the spring and summer my chickens have access to grass and alfalfa in their runs. In the winter they are pretty much out of luck with greens so I give them a bale of alfalfa every couple weeks to pick through. It also helps the smell in the barn. It goes from "I should man-up and clean up this pen even if I have to pull my wagon through 2 feet of snow" to "hey, maybe this deep liter method will work after all with the addition of some greens".

 

[Chris09]

I use Alfalfa Meal I like a little better than the cubs or pellets. I soak some in warm water in the winter or cool water in the summer..

Chris

 

[2DogsFarm]

I toss my girls a flake of orchard grass/timothy hay to play with every so often.

My original thought was to keep the yard from getting too muddy as well as let them pick the flake apart for any seedheads.

I'm also hoping some of the seeds will germinate over the Winter so the yard will have something green growing come Spring.

 

[cassie]

I have a hay rack in with my hens and keep alfalfa in it all the time. They eat an amazing amount of it and the egg yolks are nice and dark yellow.