Cover crop bedding? Alfalfa? Clover? etc? :)

[Sweetbliss]

Hi there everyone! I had a quick question:

Is it possible to grow a "green manure" winter crop of alfalfa and use it (dried out) as bedding in a coop? I've read some posts where there is a little concern about it balling up and getting stuck in chickens' throats, but what if it was cut up pretty small? I know the chickens would eat/peck at it, but could it also be bedding?

How about clover? Maybe that would smell better.... I'm pretty sure hairy vetch would be poisonous to chickens, so that's out of the question.

Or maybe something interesting like dried camomile or lavender mixed in with "typical" wood shavings and the like?

I'm obviously new to all this spiffy chicken stuff, so feel free to set me straight on what I could actually grow myself to put in the chickens' coop.

Thanks so much for your help!

- Sweetbliss

 

[nneekers]

Aw! No one has replied to your thread!!?? It's been 6 years! Hope you found the info you were looking for!!!
I have been wondering the same thing!
..."Clover???"...
I need an answer!!!

 

[debid]

I've used shredded wheat straw and it was fine bedding. Not as absorbant as wood but it worked. I use dry leaves that I rake up in the run. But trying to dry a green-cut crop so it doesn't just mold? Who has the space?!