Alfalfa, poisonous or good??

[skillswife]

We raise alfalfa hay and have lots of sprouted alfalfa plants throughout the ranch. We plan on free range during the day. I read on one list of plants poisonous to chickens that Alfalfa is one of them. But then I have also read that some of you let your chickens have small amounts of hay including alfalfa. Can you please clear this up for me?

 

[dsqard]

I feed mine alfalfa leaves every morning. I hadn't heard that it is poisonous to chickens. I think they would love eating the sprouts. I think the only thing that you have to worry about with alfalfa or hay is the harder stems causing impacted crop. That is why I only feed them the leaves.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I feed it to mine. Like anything, if you withhold all other food and only feed alfalfa, I'm sure they could have a problem. As part of a diet, a lot of people feed it.

 

[grammypam]

I am sprouting some for my chickens right now. Next doing red clover sprouts.

 

[Organics North]

The only thing I could think of that would be poisonous would be if the seeds are treated with something, and they are eating young sprouts before the poison washed off.

My birds have been eating everything from alfalfa sprouts to hay to pellets... It is a great food source for chickens!

ON

 

[Kelsey2017]

My horses get it and my chickens get all the shake from the bale of the day. It has vitamins and calcium in it which they need especially in winter, I have never heard of it being bad for anyone.

 

[motoclown]

If it's not poisonous now, it will soon.....

Genetically modified Alfalfa on the way.....

http://www.theatlantic.com/food/arc...modified-alfalfa-officially-on-the-way/70401/

 

[Momagain1]

well darn! I live next to a field that harvests alfalfa, soybeans and corn..dependent on which season it is etc..

we were just gonna take some alfalfa after they cut it and use it.. (we have a very giving/easy relationship w/the farmer..he is
super active in our Church and he farms on about 3 ft of our land..so its not an issue for us to grab alfalfa as treats..

what about the harvested plants of soybeans and corn stalks/leaves??

 

[AZBootsie]

Hmmm.....hope it isn't bad for them.

I picked up a bale about 3 weeks ago and my chickens have been eating it. I read it adds omega to the eggs and makes the yolks darker. So far I haven't noticed any ill effects, but will keep a close watch.

They seem to like it. They scratch and pick out the leaves and flowers, aren't interested in the stems/hay part.

 

[Chris09]

No, Alfalfa isn't poisonous to chickens and in fact a lot of your better poultry feed will have Alfalfa Meal in it.

Chris