Hay for winter feeding ONLY?

[DUCKGIRL89]

This would be for a pair of pilgrim geese next winter, but can I feed them hay only during winter? Or will they need grain as well? Id like to not ad on to the winter feeding owning geese chickes and ducks. But I will provide whatever they need. Just trying to cut my feed bill as much as possible

Thanks in advance.

 

[RAREROO]

They most likely won't eat regular dry hay like you feed to cows and other livestock. They need soft tender greens.

I don't know if this would work or not, but I've wondered about maybe alfafa hay that you can buy for rabbits and cut it up really small and soak it in water to soften it an maybe they'd eat that, but like I said, I don't know.

 

[kidcody]

Mine don't care for dry hay, but will eat alfalfa leaves!

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Ok. Thanks guys! We have fresh grass growing year round here. The ducks dont like grass much but they find TONS of goodies in the small pond we have.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I fed alfafa pellets (pet store)and cubes(horses & cattle) AS WELL AS GRAIN BASED FEEDS. the geese seem to like some roughage in their diet. The pellets meant for rodents don't work very well because they have something added to help wear the teeth of rodents down [they never quit growing and can be a problem if not worn down.] The horse cubes are too big for geese so I started soaking for them and put them in their water. finally one goose genius learned to take the cubes [fed free choice) and soaked them for himself, the rest of the flock quickly learned to do the same! I first got alfafa pellets at a garden center make to be used as time released N for rose bushes [they also contain something that helps roses bloom] put them in the soil and finally caught my little darlings diging them up to eat, Well since they were made for fertilizer not feed I didn't feel safe using them and started to search for food grade alfafa.~gd