Growing Peanuts as Hay?

[CluckyJay]

I am talking about peanuts, not perennial peanut hay.

I have Tennessee Red Peanuts and I want to grow them as additional hay for the chickens and other animals.

Has anyone done this? What would be the best time to harvest? Maybe when the plants start blooming?

If I cut the plants, will they regrow like other legumes? I am not worried about producing peanuts on the hay crop.

I read that drying can cause shattering because the stalks don't dry as quickly as the leaves. What if I placed the harvested hay between two pieces of plywood and had my husband drive over it before drying? Would this flatten the stalks for even drying? That or I could walk on the boards.

I am trying to make a good mix of weeds and other plants for hay for now and winter.


Thanks guys!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I am going to give you a bump - I know little to nothing about peanuts (course never lived in an area where they grew).


Interested in knowing if anyone else knows.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Peanut vines make poor quality hay.
I think you'd be better off to plant a grain so they could eat both hay and seed