alfalfa

[4 the Birds]

They like to peck through it but they don't eat it much and it should not be considered a food source for chickens. It is also not a great material for the coop floor (pine chips are far better).

Our chickens like to wander over to the goat shed where I feed alfalfa hay to the goats.

 

[slbenter]

Thank you for the replys....haha....9 dollars huh?
I went to our local feed store and inquired on a bail of alfalfa....
$21.00

Yep, I live in a city.

Didn't ask how much straw was.

 

[marlo1968]

I suppose I could. I was thinking more as a low maintenance forage for winter, and if they dry lot the yard in 2 months (likely, since they are chickens). I could just keep a bale in the garage and throw them a flake every so often. I've got a full house, with 4 dogs, 6 chickens, a cat, and 3 human kids, on 5 months old. I was kinda hoping for a little less work than messing around with soaking and trays and such.

You could get a bale and with each flake, shake it out into a tub, if its good alfalfa you'll get plenty shaken out and then use the stems for the nest boxes. I feed the horses with a small cart, whatever shakes out of the flakes (and there is a lot) I give to the chickens. no waste

 

[Steeler Chick]

I have been feeding my chickens alfalfa for quite a long time and have had no problems. They don't eat the stems that I have noticed and no one has had issues with their crops. Plus they love to scratch around in it, it gives them something to do.

They do make alfalfa pellets which I have not tried yet. They cost more but they don't have the stems of course.

There is no green here in the winter and I don't have a good area for them to free range. I live in a rural area and our alfalfa is about $9 also.

In the summer I feed them greens and vegies from my garden and they get bugs in the run they are in.

I do notice that when they have access to the alfalfa their egg yolks are very orange, which I believe is a sign of higher omega3's ( read that somewhere)

They are all very happy and healthy. They will be one year old the 1st week of July.

 

[andi6313]

I fed mine Alfalfa hay, just a flake every other day, because my chicks were low in calcium (weak shells). They don't like oyster shell, so I've been feeding milk, yogurt and broccoli. I also heard alfafa hay had calcium and protein and they loved scratching around in it. Unforturnately, this did not set well with one of my sweeties. I recently found my sweet Queen Elizabeth dead the other day. I was so upset, this was the first of my flock that has passed. I did a necropsy (autopsy) on her and found a bundle of alfalfa hay lodged in her crop.. The rest of my birds are ok (I have 22). They no longer get alfafla hay, unless its been soaked in water and as a once a week treat.

 

[Steeler Chick]

Sorry to hear about your chicken. Mine don't eat the stems that I know of. But I think I will start buying them the pellets instead then I don't need to work. It really makes their yokes dark orange and they love it. I don't have an issue with weak shells in fact mine are hard as a rock. I just give it to them for something to scratch around in. I feed mine a complete food so technically they don't need to feed them anything but their feed.

 

[andi6313]

What kind/brand of "complete food" do you feed your chickens?