Is stinging nettle really that good for chickens?

[Altairsky]

Stinging nettle was the only green that could grow in my grandpa's chickens pen. Why forcing animals into eating what they would never eat?
Instead, you can use nettle to make soups, we use it in omelets, pasta, risotto, polenta, ravioli, I even make pizza with it, and it's delicious.

 

[bearcreekbees]

We live on a 240 acre farm. Stinging nettles grow all over the farm, including in my chicken run. My chickens do eat it- mainly when it is young- once it is mature they do not show much interest.

I collect and dry gallons of it to use in the winter, and we do use it for humans as well as chickens. I freeze dry it, then powder it, and my 13yo uses the powder in smoothies- she has no idea, lol. And of course, it goes into soups/stews/omelets, etc.

But since my chickens eat it fresh I see no reason not to give them a bit here and there in dried form when there is 4' of snow on the ground and they cannot forage for themselves.