Alfalfa tea for added protein?

[turbodog]

In browsing through an older issue of a poultry magazine, I came across an article on adding protein to chicken diets. One method that was mentioned was how to make an Alfalfa "tea" to be added into your chickens' waterer in a gallon to gallon ratio.

I'm not looking to try it myself, since I think there are less labor intensive ways to add protien, but I was curious to know if anyone has ever tried this method.

 

[LarryPQ]

Nope, but I do give them the free alfalfa hay from the feed store. The chickens love it.

 

[homesteadapps]

Mixing alfalfa & clover leaves with water make it damp and easier for them to eat. If you mix it with corn, etc they will eat more of it.

Alfalfa leaves can be in the high 30's in protein, clover just a little less.

I have also seen it suggested to boil the stems hay, etc to get it softer -- never did it this way.

We give it dampened mixed with other feeds like a mash. It seem they eat more of it when it have been dampened first.

Ours do very well with home mixes. By feeding hay to other animals we have, we always have plenty of the fines around for mixing.