A while back, I read in Backyard Poultry Magazine about the benefits of natural probiotics for chickens. It mentioned that Alfalfa was a good natural
probiotic and better than the probios found in dairy for poultry. I decided to find some seeds and plant some. After talking with the NPIP inspector,(farmer)
I waited till it cooled here in Alabama as Alfalfa is a cool weather crop.
I planted it 7 days ago and I have Sprouts. I is actually in Jim's raised garden because I don't have a tiller at the moment and it was really easy to
turn the soil there. I am hoping to have some winter forage for the chickletts that will give the the green fix and probiotics for a bonus.
0 Kudo
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Alfalfa
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 jimnjay |
Alfalfa |
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Posts: 6097 11/04/09 10:00 AM |
Last Edited By: jimnjay 11/04/09 10:17 AM.
Edited 4 times.
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robin416 |
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Posts: 4617 11/04/09 11:03 AM |
I wish I could find bailed alfalfa here. I might post to see if anyone has any for sale.
I take alfalfa is a cool weather crop? Are you just going to turn the birds loose in it or are you planning on harvesting it once it develops seed heads? |
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mailmam71 |
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Posts: 1415 11/04/09 12:40 PM |
I wish we were closer, we have some lovely 4th cutting alfalfa that I feed the chickens in the winter for their greens. I take a flake and hang it in a horse
hay net, it's both grazing and busy work. When they get the goody, the small leaves out of it, I then spread it on the floor and build up the litter.
Alfalfa gets stemmy as it grows to best to harvest it young, if you wait until it's blooming, the chickens won't like it very well. But it is also a
cut and come again crop so you don't have to worry about killing it. I wouldn't say it is a cool weather crop as we get hot in the summer and it grows
all summer long, it lives over the harsh winter unless there are extremes, such as thawing and then freezing a layer of water over it. They have done root digs
on alfalfa and it sends down roots deeper than 5 ft! So don't try to grow it in a shallow dish unless all you want is sprouts, which I think the chickens
would love.
Where are you, Robin? If you are in farming country, I'm sure there is a farmer near you who would be willing to part with a few bales. One bale will last me nearly all winter with my small flock. Check the local feed store? Julie |
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robin416 |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 4619 11/04/09 02:05 PM |
99% of what they grow and sell here is for cattle and not worth much for treating the chickens with. The co-op is the only place that sells hay and its crap,
not worth feeding to anything but cattle.
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Georgiapea |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 70 11/04/09 03:03 PM |
Keep us up to date on how this goes. I have very little open space to plant anything as most of our acre is covered with trees. I checked on line and found
alfalfa was planted between rows of black walnut trees as an experment and did ok. Not as well as alfalfa grown out in the sun but at least it came up and
made a crop.
I'm going to build 2 runs but maybe all my chickens will love each other and not have to be separated. I could then seed the ground under the trees in 1 run, let the alfalfa come up and rotate the chickens into it while I seed the other run. My soil is sand and tree residue up on the hill. |
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mailmam71 |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 1416 11/04/09 03:11 PM |
Have you ever had a 'DUH' moment?? Come on, admit it, I'm not the only one!! Here I was asking where you are, Robin, and if I'd look, I'd
know! Thanks for not rubbing it in!
They must be growing grass hay around TN? They grow a lot of grass hay in the Dakota's but alfalfa is the choice in the midwest, unless you have horses. Then blister beetles can be a problem and it has to be tested. They can kill a horse so we bale all our waterways for our horses, they may bet a tiny alfalfa but mostly brome. Julie |
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robin416 |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 4621 11/04/09 03:26 PM |
Most of what I see around here is sedge. Heck, our land is full of it and would be expensive to kill off and reseed in to other grasses. We have one section on
the upper end that has some more desireable grass but there just isnt enough there to be worth cutting and bailing. We've got Bermuda that's been
spreading and killing off some of the sedge but that will be long after we're gone before it over takes all of it. LOL
Heck, I forgot I even had that listed. I probably should take it off for my own safety. |
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jimnjay |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 6100 11/04/09 05:12 PM |
I plan to mow it and then try to dry some and let the chickens dig and scratch as well. I will need to carry them out and let the play and guad them then bring
them back in. I am going to sprout some along with amaranth as well for winter greens. By Feb we will have clover so it does not have to go for long. I
don't know what it will do but I plan to find out. In Nevada the temps in winter are much like here but with less variety. Alfalfa and Timothy hay is all
they grow. UMM mowing time is lovely. I don't have much right now so I will see how it goes by early spring I can plant some more.
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- General and Social Discussion
- Disease, Cures and Emergencies!
- Eggs to Hatch and Beyond
- Chicken Behaviors
- Coops and Runs
- Predators and Pests
- Poultry show and swap meet listings
- Buy ~ Sell ~ Trade ~ Giveaways
- Breeds in General
- Breeders & Backyard Hatcheries
- Meat Birds and Other Poultry
- reference material, med and disease info
- Egg & Chicken Recipes
- Notable Archives
