Are hay cubes okay to scatter around?

[hrhta812]

This is a weird question, but we have some compressed hay cubes left from when we had horses and I want to re-use the storage tub they've been in.

I wondered if they are of any benefit for the chickens at all? If I scattered some around the yard area, would they like to peck at them for bits & pieces of the hay?

Would it be potentially harmful to them in any way? Just wondering...as momma always said, "Waste not, want not," right? Thanks for any feedback!

 

[lilchick]

I soak them first in water so that they are soft enough to pick off and eat.

 

[hrhta812]

That's what we did for feeding them to the horses - so, the chickens will actually eat from them if we soak them? That would be cool, so I'd have some use for them; otherwise, I will try and find our closest horse rescue and donate them or something. Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

I did the exact same thing a couple years ago, gave the chickens the tail end of a bag of alfalfa cubes that wasn't going to be used, soaking them first. As with anything, I'd string 'em out a little bit each day rather than a lot at once, but it'll give the chickens something to do and put your hay cubes to reasonable use

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[sundance]

i buy the hay cubes to use for the nests and floor of my coop. I have a couple pieces of tin I put under the roosts, and put a deep layer of hay on top, they scratch all of it up but I pull the tin pieces out and put the hay off them in my garden.with the smaller pieces of tin under the roosts it makes it easier for me to pull them out and dump on the compost pile, the other hay I just rake out and use it in the garden to keep down weeds. marrie