Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

Speaking of bedding...I have a question.
Today, at the feed store, I asked for a bale of hay. Just something to add to the coop for the sweet smell (for me) and for the seeds for the birds to forage for.
The fellow there asked if I wanted "feed hay" or "swamp grass hay". That kind of threw me. When I said it was forage/entertainment for the chickens, he said I needed "swamp hay".

I'm not up on the various hay types but this bale looks and smells like Timothy grass. It is a nice shade of green and the birds were all over it within minutes.

 

[tdhenson86]

Hey everyone! Sorry again for my absence! I hope everyone is well!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

 

[JackieandChicks]

Speaking of bedding...I have a question.
Today, at the feed store, I asked for a bale of hay. Just something to add to the coop for the sweet smell (for me) and for the seeds for the birds to forage for.
The fellow there asked if I wanted "feed hay" or "swamp grass hay". That kind of threw me. When I said it was forage/entertainment for the chickens, he said I needed "swamp hay".

I'm not up on the various hay types but this bale looks and smells like Timothy grass. It is a nice shade of green and the birds were all over it within minutes.

I've had horses all my life and had to google "swamp grass hay" and it doesn't sound nice. What is fed to cattle it seems. I'll bet the fellow really did not know what he was talking about as I've only seen timothy and alfalfa in those store bales.

 

[RaZ]

I've had horses all my life and had to google "swamp grass hay" and it doesn't sound nice. What is fed to cattle it seems. I'll bet the fellow really did not know what he was talking about as I've only seen timothy and alfalfa in those store bales.

I had the same thoughts. But I wasn't really sure. I thought that the bale I bought was timothy but the guy said different. It made me wonder if there are different names for the same common hay.It is certainly an aromatic bale whatever they call it.

 

[JackieandChicks]

I had the same thoughts. But I wasn't really sure. I thought that the bale I bought was timothy but the guy said different. It made me wonder if there are different names for the same common hay.It is certainly an aromatic bale whatever they call it.

What store did you get it at? Maybe they got it off a farmer and it's really "cow hay"

 

[RaZ]

What store did you get it at? Maybe they got it off a farmer and it's really "cow hay"

I got it at Chap's Feed in Livonia. They are a local feed store that has been here for 40 years or more. I'm not sure where they get their hay and straw from exactly. I do know that they get a lot of product from area farms like Finkbeiner in Saline and a few from Ohio.
I'm not really concerned about the product itself.

I'm more curious about what the nomenclature means. In this case, what is that hay?

 

[matt44644]

I think the difference is it's a lower quality and less nutritious hay.More ditch weeds non pasture grass,etc.

 

[matt44644]

Some hayfields consist of "wild hay" or "meadow hay" as compared to "tame" hay grasses that have been planted. Many of the native or volunteer plants that grow in uncultivated hayfields are good, nutritious grasses that make acceptable hay for beef cattle. As long as the plant mix is predominantly grasses of palatable types (rather than weeds or swamp grasses), meadow hay is quite adequate for winter feed-especially for mature cows that don't need high levels of protein. Some of these native grasses, when cut before seed heads mature, are very palatable and high enough in protein content for calves and lactating cows, without having to add a supplemental protein source
copied from http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Selecting+hay+for+cattle.-a0169961831
What was the price difference between the two?

 

[PDPercherons]

Having horses, I agree with Matt on that interpretation. The hay you describe is likely an orchard grass and/or alfalfa. I feed something similar to that and the chickens love to pick through if the horses aren't on them.

 

[tntchix]

So, here I sit looking at pics of my "Silver Leghorns and comparing them to other sites, hatcheries, breeders etc and it hits me...these are not even SILVER LEGHORN, are they? They are SILVER LACED WYANDOTTES.

I have Golden Laced Wyandottes already, how could I not realize this? am I wrong? I think I have lost it.

Roadrunner (Roadie) about 9 weeks old

same

about 16-18 weeks old