Alfalfa pellets...soaked in water? Okay to feed?

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:

 

[silkiechicken]

You'd be surprised how big of things they swallow... like whole grapes.

 

[Standard Hen]

My chickens gobble up all the horse feed that they drop all over the ground and they love it. There are alfalfa cubes and alfalfa pellets. The cubes are good size squares which I would soak but the pellets should be fine for them. Come to think of it that would be a nice "green" treat for winter!

 

[Wynette]

Thank you all so very much for your replies! I'll feed a few alfa pellets for a treat now & then, and perhaps more in winter.

I was going to throw in a flake of hay per day for the chickens (I have 6 pullets & a roo) - I use grass hay for the horses (1st cutting-seems to have lots of seed heads, which isn't the best for horses, but probably good for chickens!).

I'm planning on feeding free-choice commercial feed (because I can't get organic feed anywhere close), a flake of hay once a day, alfa pellets, and treats for the winter. Does this sound like a good balance?

 

[helmstead]

Sorry I didn't catch the follow up here.

Yeah, goats and chickens are like peas n carrots. The chickens groom the yard really well, too. Can't say I've ever seen one eat a goat dropping, though. Ick.

The alfalfa pellets we get (Southern States brand) are the same size as layer pellets. I've never seen them larger than that. Cubes, yeah...but not pellets.

I'm confused about why you'd feed hay to chickens? Did I miss something? If you want them to have forage through winter, plant grass in trays in your house and give them a clump as a treat. Easier yet, just buy iceburg lettuce!

 

[Wynette]

I just want to make sure they're getting enough green stuff, and I just figured hay would be best. But, if iceberg lettuce is better, I'll do that. Wonder how much I'd need to feed for 7...a full head a day? Guess I should just start with that, and if there's some left the next morning, I'll know I need to back off. Okay, so iceberg lettuce, a tray of winter wheat...I don't think I could do that, because I have cats & dogs that would eat it. But, I'll try. Maybe I can close a room off to the house critters. What else could I give that would be relatively inexpensive for their greens?

 

[seminolewind]

I bought my chickens rabbit timothy pellets, couldn't find alfalfa rabbit pellets , which would have more calcium. If I get alfalfa horse pellets, I would probably put them in a bag and whack them a few times with a hammer. Karen

 

[helmstead]

I really don't think 7 chickens will go through that much fresh greens...but I might be surprised.

If you talk with your local grocery's produce manager, you might be able to work out getting the older lettuces they can't sell at a discount or even free. Also, change it up with different greens, maybe a counter-ripened tomato now and then. They really like a lot of veggies! I even grate carrots and other root veggies for them now and then. The love green beans, broccoli (cooked) well basically any table scrap goes out there. That's how MY chickens get their fresh greens because the chicken yard is barren.

 

[patandchickens]

there's not much nutrition in iceberg lettuce at all. "scratch and dent" produce would be more useful. If you explain, you might get it free. There's always table scraps too.

Unless you are already set up for intensive indoor veg growing I would doubt you'll be able to produce any meaningful quantity... but, you know, if you look in sheltered spots and/or dig down thru the snow you usually CAN find actual OUTDOOR green plants to pick and feed as treats for much of the winter. At least you can north of toronto - I doubt MI is that different

Look along the south sides of buildings' walls, under bushes, and/or especially in areas with tall meadowy grass n weeds (part the tall dead stuff, there's often green semi-growing bits near the ground). I pick a handful on nice winter days for the horses.

Pat