New Egg good with Chicken Math and needing Advice

CzyChikenMath · Jul 15, 2017

Good Day Everyone. I live in Southern New Jersey and have been following this site and researching everywhere since Someone planted the idea in my head in April to get a couple chickens. Now 4 months later I have 250, 25 or so different breeds (most Heritage, or/and dual purpose). I free range them. I hope I can help people too, because I know comments have been a great help to me so far! You should know with trying to stay ahead (or keep up in my first year (and I'm certain ext year, also) I like to do things with the least amount of work possible.

Currently I'm wondering about Alfalfa

Hay as a balanced protein source and ground cover - If I purchased it summer, and dry stored, would it be still be a good (supplementary) source of protein to throw around on the ground over the snow? Does all Alpha Hay have both leaves and seeds? I understand from reading short is better, but If I purchase locally, large rolls, I could run them through a shredder - would I loose the seed heads that way? I'll probably purchase bales and use as is, but depending on cost I might go the other way. Thank you and happy to be here clucking' around with you folks!!! ........."Alfalfa hay is an excellent source of good quality protein and fiber. Alfalfa is a legume hay and is sometimes called “lucerne"

azygous · Jul 15, 2017

You can also ferment alfalfa. I've seen videos of fermented alfalfa silage in huge amounts. The animals really go go for it. My chickens eat fermented hay and fight over it.

CzyChikenMath · Jul 15, 2017

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azygous said:
You can also ferment alfalfa. I've seen videos of fermented alfalfa silage in huge amounts. The animals really go go for it. My chickens eat fermented hay and fight over it.

Thank you for the awesome suggestion. I may have read about your chickens on another thread

I have intensions of doing that as part of their regular feed, but haven't quite figured out how to do that for 250 chicks effectively yet for a person with my size and strength. Suggests would be appreciated.. here's what I'm thinking in the early stages... (250 chickens, I've been only doing chickens for 4 months. lol. imagine how busy I am, coop building, fencing for 1/2 acres, all those baby birds to care for... now thinking ahead to winter) I'm thinking maybe 50-lb type more or less (I'll know it when I see size) but rectangle shaped flat food grade plastic containers with a wide mouth opening as I'll be putting them in the house during the winter and trying to rotate between two or three - I have to figure it out, but someone correct me if I am wrong, it won't ferment in my unheated garage). I have other questions on that too, but I can only handle 34 things at a time. lol. Thanks for your help - any chance you've tried it as a ground cover not fermented - just spreading it around lightly for them to forage? I have some varieties of booted chickens and some others with sensitive feet so I'm concerned about snow/mud and I want to gently supplement their protein. That is my concern - I thought I could solve all that and their need to forage and help keep from getting board if I could use the Alfalfa hay. I just know noting about cured... if I buy it now will it still be nutritious in the winter? One person said she lost a chicken to it clogging the chickens throat... I had hoped to purchase huge rolls instead of bales but i didn't want to have to cut it smaller than bails so i didn't know how big I could leave it for safe foraging as ground cover.

Pork Pie · Jul 15, 2017

CzyChikenMath · Jul 15, 2017

Pork Pie Ken said:

Thank you

drumstick diva · Jul 15, 2017

Your rooster is stunning!! Welcome to Backyard chickens.

CzyChikenMath · Jul 16, 2017

drumstick diva said:
Your rooster is stunning!! Welcome to Backyard chickens.

Not mine but I fell in love with him. He was being filmed. He is 7. I purchase hid 4 month old cockerel "Charlie" - so beautiful. Thank you for the welcome

Wickedchicken6 · Jul 16, 2017

Hello!

It's great you've joined the flock!

We have put a couple of alfalfa/brome square bales in with the flock during winter. In my case I haven't spread them because I use the bales to add another dimension of height. I've had a case of the chicken math as well...although not quite as plentiful as your situation. I may/may not have the area required for the number of birds in the coops for winter...lol. So I've adapted to using vertical height in the coop to help.

The birds like to pick at the more tender parts of the hay; the grass leaves, the alfalfa flowers and tender shoots. The base stem of the plant tends to get left and gets added to the bedding once they eat it down to the point the bale is loose and loses shape.

The best alfalfa hay would be the cuts you could get before the hay gets very tall. I see you're in New Jersey. I'm guessing people get more than one cut of hay. Here we get one cut..maybe 2 if we're lucky and our hay the last few years has been coarse because it rains when we want to be cutting it and our cut has been delayed.

Yes, if you are able to keep it covered, out of the sun and out of the rain...the hay you buy will still be good. We are just finishing up our hay, both round and square. The round is placed in rows and the squares are put into the loft of the barn.

If you've had rainy weather, you'll want to make certain the bales you're buying do not have mold in the centers; that's both round bales and square bales. It usually shows up as whitish or black colored hay. Either the baled have been baled too green...or in the case of square bales...they've been allowed to get wet through the bale.

CzyChikenMath · Jul 17, 2017

Wickedchicken6 said:
Hello! It's great you've joined the flock!

We have put a couple of alfalfa/brome square bales in with the flock during winter. In my case I haven't spread them because I use the bales to add another dimension of height. I've had a case of the chicken math as well...although not quite as plentiful as your situation. I may/may not have the area required for the number of birds in the coops for winter...lol. So I've adapted to using vertical height in the coop to help.

The birds like to pick at the more tender parts of the hay; the grass leaves, the alfalfa flowers and tender shoots. The base stem of the plant tends to get left and gets added to the bedding once they eat it down to the point the bale is loose and loses shape.

The best alfalfa hay would be the cuts you could get before the hay gets very tall. I see you're in New Jersey. I'm guessing people get more than one cut of hay. Here we get one cut..maybe 2 if we're lucky and our hay the last few years has been coarse because it rains when we want to be cutting it and our cut has been delayed.

Yes, if you are able to keep it covered, out of the sun and out of the rain...the hay you buy will still be good. We are just finishing up our hay, both round and square. The round is placed in rows and the squares are put into the loft of the barn.

If you've had rainy weather, you'll want to make certain the bales you're buying do not have mold in the centers; that's both round bales and square bales. It usually shows up as whitish or black colored hay. Either the baled have been baled too green...or in the case of square bales...they've been allowed to get wet through the bale.

Hello Wicked Chicken 6.
I love that idea! I have the space but am short on places for them to roost because so many things with them have been keeping us busy=

we are discussing a rainwater system for their drinking water currently also.. another story. I think I am going to do that, plus it will keep them from blowing through it. Thank you for the advice about alfalfa cuttings. as of this post I knew nothing about hay. you are correct. they just made first cutting here, which is why I began inquiring... I've seen up to 4 cuts, but I *THINK mostly we get 3 here in south jersey. Isn't chicken math fun!!! Someone should have warned me or stopped me long enough to think about all the other multiplying costs. lol. I love my beautiful, versatile flock. When we see which breeds are the best for our purposes and location, we will narrow it down some. but I wonder if this new love of mine will be a life long passion. I can't but to think it will! Thank you for your warm welcome to the flock and sharing your knowledge!