hay ok?

[digitS']

It was always something I didn't want - to have the chickens in the hay. But, that was back on the farm and the concern was mostly with them pooping all over it and spoiling it for the cows. However, the only time I was involved with a chicken with an impacted crop was because of hay. Bayouchica made that point.

Alfalfa sounds good, I'd think they'd especially benefit from cleaning up leaf powder after moving a stack. Lots of crude protein in alfalfa. You may be feeding it to your chickens in their commercial feed, anyway.

Maybe if you shake the flake a couple times on the way to the horse, the hens won't make it all the way out to the corral and the coarser material.

Steve

 

[JaciesCoop]

I gave mine a little alfalfa today for the first time and they LOVED IT!! Now they are all dust bathing and enjoying the sun with full crops and looking at me like "where have you been hiding that stuff?!" But it will be an occasional treat.

Jacie

 

[hooligan]

Wonder if they'd like alfalfa cubes to peck at....

 

[slyfoxpeeps]

I was just wondering about the cubes. Did someone else post that the soaked them and then gave it to them?
Sly

 

[Malbri]

Beware of impacted crops, its not fun to clean....

 

[MissPrissy]

About once a month I give mine a handful of alfalfa cubes. They LOVE it. They love it even more if you soak them in hot water and let it get all mushy.

 

[Basia]

If they have enough grit... will they still get impacted crops?
Mine live in and eat it and so far I have been lucky but I am new to the chicken raising.
Now I am worried.

 

[digitS']

If they have enough grit... will they still get impacted crops?
Mine live in and eat it and so far I have been lucky but I am new to the chicken raising.
Now I am worried.

They have probably had enuf experience not to get themselves in trouble, Basia.

I don't believe that grit has anything to do with crops but, rather, is made use of only by their gizzards. Someone more experienced than I, should have an idea.

Steve​

 

[silkiechicken]

I wonder if there is a difference in incidence of impacted crops from coop and run chickens vs free range chickens. Mine have plenty of dangers of lots of old field grass, hay, and straw to peck through if they want to but don't seem to have much interest in eating it. But, they free range as far as they are willing to go and I'm sure find tons of other goodies to get into and eat besides hay. Have to hide the Styrofoam though as any bit that gets out is gone.

 

[Wildsky]

My girls haven't had a problem with it. I have two bales of hay in their coop - one is a mix of alfalfa and prarie, the other is grass. they pick at it now and then...... the bales are still tied up - so they can't pull much out.

I did give them a whole flake of the alfalfa mix the other day, I threw it in their run after they were closed in the coop for the night - the funny little noises they made when they found it in the morning was so cute - I could tell it was little peeps of absolute JOY!
they spent most of that day scratching that flake to pieces... picking out the good bits. I have since been throwing their scratch into the pile of hay left overs, they just LOVE scratching around for it.....