Mesquite Tree Pods as poultry feed

[jsin]

I live in the desert where Mesquite trees are plentiful. This time of year the ground is covered in pods. This seems like a good natural feed supplement. I googled and found that some people call these pods "superfood." Apparently it has about 17% protein and contains lots of:

Lysine
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Iron
Zinc
Dietary fiber

I thought I could just dump some on the coop floor and let them have at it. (them = 4 hens, 1 duck, 2 turkeys)

Thoughts?

 

[DianeS]

If it were me, I'd offer a small amount first. Make sure it doesn't upset their stomachs. If they tolerate a little without problems, then you can increase it. Do the local birds eat them? If so, that's a good indication that they aren't going to cause a problem for most fowl.