is alfalfa dangerous?

[thespinningcottage]

I've been hesitant to give our chickens treats with alfalfa (seed or greens) because I read somewhere that alfalfa was dangerous to chickens. Can anyone dispel or confirm that rumor?

 

[elmo]

I hadn't heard that, and I'd be interested to learn what the concern is. I have used alfalfa hay a couple of times to give my chickens something to scratch in.

 

[Chris09]

Alfalfa is fine for them..
The layer feed I use has it in there infact in the winter I add wet alfalfa meal in with there scratch.
Here is a copy of the feed tag from the web page of the feed I use..

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein, Minimum 18.00%
Lysine, Minimum 0.89%
Methionine, Minimum 0.37%
Crude Fat, Minimum 3.50%
Crude Fiber, Maximum 4.50%
Calcium (Ca), Minimum 3.00%
Calcium (Ca), Maximum 4.00%
Phosphorus (P), Minimum 0.55%
Salt (NaCl), Minimum 0.10%
Salt (NaCl), Maximum 0.60%

INGREDIENTS: Ground Corn, Soybean Meal, Porcine Meat and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Corn Gluten Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with BHA), DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Manganous Oxide Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (source of Vitamin K Activity), Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Biotin.

FEEDING DIRECTIONS: Feed as the sole diet to laying hens and breeders for maximum production and for improved hatchability. Hens may also be fed 5 pounds of Buckeye Layer-Breeder Pellets per 100 birds daily along with their regular ration to encourage additional daily feed intake for increased production. Maintain a clean,fresh supply of water and oyster shells available to the birds at all times. For top production, maintain light on the birds between 14 and 16 hours per day. Do not feed Buckeye Layer Breeder Pellets to poultry which are not in production because of the high calcium levels in the diet. This is particularly true of young growing birds.

Chris

 

[antlers]

myth. I feed mine baled alfalfa all winter . They eat the leaves. Makes the yolks gold and extra yummy.

 

[cybercat]

Well if alfalfa is bad for them or dangerous then my chicks are strange. My chick starter containes it and that is all they have been eating for 13 weeks. The are huge too push 4 lbs already on my roos and well over 3 on the pullets. It is the 5th ingredient on the list on my starter.

 

[thespinningcottage]

Thank you all! I'm going to get a bale of alfalfa the next time I'm at the feed store. I appreciate the time you took to answer.

 

[fiberart57]

This time of year in Colorado alfalfa is growing wild along the roads. I like to pick a few branches, tie them up high for the girls to have to jump a little for them for some exercise. I've actually done that for them about 3 times a week since they were about 4 weeks old. They eat the leaves and the flowers and they loved it.

They are now 14 weeks old and healthy strong girls.

Mary