Hemp/Cannabis products safe for chickens?

[Aapomp831]

They're fine. Completely totally fine. Make sure you're not giving them any of the bud part of the plant which has the psychoactive materials (seriously, why waste good bud on a chicken?), but just doing harmless, dried, sugar leaves and stems.

When my chickens *have* gotten in with budding plants, they actually don't like the buds, and will eat the plain leaves, skipping the flowers. (thankfully!!!) It doesn't seem to be a favorite plant for them, kind of like how they leave tomato leaves alone -- they much prefer broccoli leaves (chicken crack!!!).

I'm in Oregon, so totally legal here too. I'm breaking more laws with how many chickens I have, than what plants I'm growing!

If you fed your chickens the buds, do you think the eggs would get you high??? That would be awesome.

 

[centrarchid]

Hi! I know this is an old thread. Is it bad to resurrect an old thread? I’m new here and don’t know the etiquette. Forgive me.

I live in Oregon and have a friend who grows hemp on a fairly large scale. They sell several different parts of the plant that get manufactured into different products. They chip the stalks and sell that. I think that is what hemp bedding used for animals is. But the part of the plant they can’t sell they call biomass. They have tons of this stuff. It is the plant minus the stalks and buds and it is finely mulched. It seems a bit too dusty and fine for bedding in the coop but I’m thinking about deep litter in my large chicken run. I’m still learning about deep litter and it seems like I’m going to need a massive quantity of organic material to make it happen. This hemp biomass would be free and readily available. Would the fact that it is fine and dusty not be an issue if I waited to put it down until it starts raining? (basically once it starts it doesn’t stop here) Or would it’s fine texture just mix with the mud and create even more mush?

Oh and I’m not concerned about my chickens getting high. There’s no significant THC. Also not concerned about them ingesting it.

If the dust is fine enough, then I would actually mix it into feed. I have the ability to make pellets which is route I would take, but it could be mixed into a wetted mix to promote intake. Nutritive value would be limited, but it would put additional fiber into feces / bedding mix potentially increasing value of used bedding as a soil amendment. I like the bedding to dry quickly and not pack down too much. The fiber might help with the latter. Care must be taken with faster growing breeds where they benefit most from easily digested nutrient dense feeds. Slower grower breeds is where the hemp by-product may not be a negative as they cannot process nutrients that fast anyway and have the ability to increase feed intake when nutrient density is lower.

 

[LalaP]

If the dust is fine enough, then I would actually mix it into feed. I have the ability to make pellets which is route I would take, but it could be mixed into a wetted mix to promote intake. Nutritive value would be limited, but it would put additional fiber into feces / bedding mix potentially increasing value of used bedding as a soil amendment. I like the bedding to dry quickly and not pack down too much. The fiber might help with the latter. Care must be taken with faster growing breeds where they benefit most from easily digested nutrient dense feeds. Slower grower breeds is where the hemp by-product may not be a negative as they cannot process nutrients that fast anyway and have the ability to increase feed intake when nutrient density is lower.

I'm new to chickens so this is the first I’m hearing about fast growing and slow growing breeds. I have Black Australorps and they are 21 weeks old and not laying yet. Are they fast or slow growing? I hadn’t considered feeding the hemp to them but I guess I’ll look into it. Thanks

 

[centrarchid]

I'm new to chickens so this is the first I’m hearing about fast growing and slow growing breeds. I have Black Australorps and they are 21 weeks old and not laying yet. Are they fast or slow growing? I hadn’t considered feeding the hemp to them but I guess I’ll look into it. Thanks

Fast growing birds are represented by production breeds like Cornish Cross (meat) and commercial Leghorns (eggs) that are selected for rapid growth and very efficient conversion of feed into edible product. Those breeds are not likely to continue performing well on a feed that is less than easy to digest. Australorps should be able to handle additional fiber just fine as they are on the slower end compared to the commercial breeds.

About a year ago I watched a trial involving Cornish X raised on hemp bedding. They consumed a lot of it. No obvious health issues resulted, but I would not rule out negative impacts on growth rate or feed conversion.

 

[jvls1942]

I would take all I could get. spread it into the run and let the chickens pick out any part of it they might eat. I would make a compost pile out of it. use it for mulch.. keep quiet about it so that others don't start doing the same and then it will become valuable and you will end up buying it at a later date, no more freebies ..

 

[centrarchid]

I would take all I could get. spread it into the run and let the chickens pick out any part of it they might eat. I would make a compost pile out of it. use it for mulch.. keep quiet about it so that others don't start doing the same and then it will become valuable and you will end up buying it at a later date, no more freebies ..

Price will get out of control regardless. The proper bedding is being touted as something it is not already causing some to pay more than the product justifies. It is not good for smoking and mixing chicken poopy in does not improve that use either.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Hi! I know this is an old thread. Is it bad to resurrect an old thread? I’m new here and don’t know the etiquette. Forgive me.

I live in Oregon and have a friend who grows hemp on a fairly large scale. They sell several different parts of the plant that get manufactured into different products. They chip the stalks and sell that. I think that is what hemp bedding used for animals is. But the part of the plant they can’t sell they call biomass. They have tons of this stuff. It is the plant minus the stalks and buds and it is finely mulched. It seems a bit too dusty and fine for bedding in the coop but I’m thinking about deep litter in my large chicken run. I’m still learning about deep litter and it seems like I’m going to need a massive quantity of organic material to make it happen. This hemp biomass would be free and readily available. Would the fact that it is fine and dusty not be an issue if I waited to put it down until it starts raining? (basically once it starts it doesn’t stop here) Or would it’s fine texture just mix with the mud and create even more mush?

Oh and I’m not concerned about my chickens getting high. There’s no significant THC. Also not concerned about them ingesting it.

I would suggest if it is a fine dust you may cause some respiratory issues in the birds. I couldn't comment about waiting for rain. At that point any fine dust would probably be a mucky as mud and pointless attempt. If you can get chipped stalks instead go for it.
Like someone else mentioned would probably be best to mix a small amount in the food for fiber and omega booster.

 

[jvls1942]

I don't see any advantage of adding hemp by products to chicken feed. I think all it would do is lower the overall protein level of the feed.
If you are feeding laying hens, you will probably get fewer , if any, eggs.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I have used the leaves as an odor control/compost enhancer under a wire floor outdoor brooder. My thread was flagged and removed for talking about it though. I think hemp has a million and one uses around the homestead, but not necessarily feeding it to chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

I don't see any advantage of adding hemp by products to chicken feed. I think all it would do is lower the overall protein level of the feed.
If you are feeding laying hens, you will probably get fewer , if any, eggs.

I have added a range of things to chicken feed that did not reduce egg production. They include biochar, kaolin clay, and cellulose up 10% of dry weight of diet. The birds compensated by eating about 10% more so they maintained similar nutrient uptake overall. Same pattern held for fish at much higher inclusion rates although growth was the response measured in terms of production.