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CSolis -- When I was raising meat birds they were fed alfalfa flakes regularly. Alfalfa has purifying (antioxidant) agents and it did make the meat taste better, IMHO. Also it helped to strengthen the tendons in the birds (Calcium/Phosphorus ratio) so that there was less loss due to tendon slippage. Just had to remember to provide grit or the crops ran a risk of getting impacted with fiber.
Great to see that someone else has done it too. I started doing it, knowing how good it is for horses, then found this site: https://www.dsm.com/markets/anh/en_US/Compendium/poultry/riboflavin.html that talks about where free ranging chickens would get riboflavin. So, I may have been on the right track for entirely different reasons. 4 eggs from henrietta.. One developed a blood ring so that was out.. 2 more were DOA and the last to hatch has curled toes and is getting sub-lingual B-1 complex. I hope it works.. hate euthanizing anything.. But if mommas are deficient, chicks will show signs. And since they were fresh eggs (after winter began) I just assumed mom was deficient and went hunting. BTW, went out to check feed and water, and poof, nearly all the alfalfa was gone in 7 pens.
 
Great to see that someone else has done it too. I started doing it, knowing how good it is for horses, then found this site: https://www.dsm.com/markets/anh/en_US/Compendium/poultry/riboflavin.html that talks about where free ranging chickens would get riboflavin. So, I may have been on the right track for entirely different reasons. 4 eggs from henrietta.. One developed a blood ring so that was out.. 2 more were DOA and the last to hatch has curled toes and is getting sub-lingual B-1 complex. I hope it works.. hate euthanizing anything.. But if mommas are deficient, chicks will show signs. And since they were fresh eggs (after winter began) I just assumed mom was deficient and went hunting. BTW, went out to check feed and water, and poof, nearly all the alfalfa was gone in 7 pens.
I give my hens kale every day-- which is likely why they do not eat alfalfa pellets.

Kale should give them the same things as alfalfa.

Be careful with what type of alfalfa they get. Sometimes crops can be impacted by hay and straw like foods
 
I give my hens kale every day-- which is likely why they do not eat alfalfa pellets.

Kale should give them the same things as alfalfa.

Be careful with what type of alfalfa they get. Sometimes crops can be impacted by hay and straw like foods
My kids get plenty of grit.. poking around in the sandy soil all day. Besides, I do add boiling water to it until it gets mushy before giving them alfalfa, and they only get it a few times a week. Hopefully it will remain peaceful here.
 
My kids get plenty of grit.. poking around in the sandy soil all day. Besides, I do add boiling water to it until it gets mushy before giving them alfalfa, and they only get it a few times a week. Hopefully it will remain peaceful here.
Are you giving them pellets? The crop problem comes from giving them the uncut straw version.

Wetting it it good!
 
Happy anniversary, @Peep_Show! Enjoy the night out with your valentine!

@NotAFarm, we'll send over the cold when we are finished with it. We're down to -8 on Saturday night, a high of 0 on Sunday and a low of -11 on Sunday night. Sigh. I was out stapling up plastic over pop doors and windows. I have plenty of ventilation but now I'm trying to cut down on the drafts. The birds seem to be tolerating the cold better than we humans are. They just sit around fluffed up keeping warm or hop around. We just sit and grumble about something that we have no control over.
 
Are you giving them pellets? The crop problem comes from giving them the uncut straw version.

Wetting it it good!
No, not pellets.. I get cubes and pour boiling water over them until they are completely disolved. though I may get pellets the next time. The problem with 'extruded' foods are they lose so much of their nutritional value. I could put it in the food processor after it gets nice and mushy to make more of a puree... hadn't thought of that.
 
No, not pellets.. I get cubes and pour boiling water over them until they are completely disolved. though I may get pellets the next time. The problem with 'extruded' foods are they lose so much of their nutritional value. I could put it in the food processor after it gets nice and mushy to make more of a puree... hadn't thought of that.
I tried pellets just this week and my chickens look at it as if it's their worst enemy....They walk around it as if it could get them! Tomorrow I'm going to sprinkle some seeds on it. I think when one tastes it they will all gobble it. But mine are really picky when it's any mushy food that messes their breaks like oatmeal or yogurt. The pellets are all ground up. They will eat kernels, pellets, seeds etc but don't like ground up food. I'm going to try adding less water. They want greens so bad and the greens are under snow for a long time- it is hard as Rock. And every time I clear a little area it snows again. Like every other day! I surely understand all your frustrations except I'm glad it's not quite as cold here
 
Kids (#3 and #5) getting the plow truck warmed up... and trying to get the 4-wheeler running.

Kid 5 is checking chains, cams and bungies, kid 3 is trying to force the 4-wheeler to turn over.

20210211_170407.jpg
 
Kids (#3 and #5) getting the plow truck warmed up... and trying to get the 4-wheeler running.

Kid 5 is checking chains, cams and bungies, kid 3 is trying to force the 4-wheeler to turn over.

View attachment 2526747
Gee, almost looks like Missouri right now only this is normal for you guys, LOL.

We didn't get a UPS delivery today that they promised us would be here after a weather delay yesterday.....because the flippin road STILL isn't plowed....sigh. Maybe in June...July.

@lovesfarms, my chickens must be total slobs because mushy stuff, mash, oatmeal, left over ham and beans, no problemo. They just run around with gooped up beaks. One actually flew up onto my shoulder once and wiped its beak on my coat shoulder.

Yeah, I get no respect from them at all.
 
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