Can I raise alfalfa in the chicken yard after the chickens move?

**Terri** · #1 10/20/09, 02:51 PM

I would like to raise alfalfa for my chickens.

This summer I planted some seeds and seedlings in the garden, but, it was cold and wet and the alfalfa died.

I just scored a bale of alfalfa hay, which can be hard to find in my area, and I thought that I could use it to start some alfalfa plants. I was thinking that I could lay it down as a mulch, and would the young alfalfa plants grow up from the mulch? I usually get a few volenteer oats when I use straw as a mulch!!

Would the chicken yard be too full of ammonia? Since nothing would grow until spring I thought that I could lay the hay down as a mulch and the seeds would eventually fall onto the earth. By the time the seeds will have sprouted the ground would have leached out all winter long.

I figured that I could throw armfulls of alfalfa once it was grown into the hen house. The birds could eat the leaves and the tough stems would be added to the bedding.

I am hoping the new chicken house will be ready in 2-3 weeks. That will leave the old chicken yard bare of weeds and I figured I would just mulch it with the alfalfa and let it grow up?

Maura · #2 10/20/09, 04:24 PM

Chicken manure is too hot to use when it is fresh. Next year, it may be broken down enough to be able to use. Try it in one spot and see what happens. Right now I'd cover it with straw or other mulch.

Callieslamb · #3 10/20/09, 05:59 PM

Alfalfa is pretty slow to get growing. I think a new planting would have a hard time keeping up with the chickens. It wouldn't start growing until spring (I'm not even planting until then). After it sprouts it needs a while before you let anything out to graze ( or peck) on it. I would plant the alfalfa elsewhere so it could make a good stand, then either move the chickens to it or cut it and bring it to them. Not sure if you mowed and bagged it, if that would be keeping it too short to get any good growth.

**Terri** · #4 10/20/09, 08:14 PM

The chickens will be in their new home and new run in 3 weeks.

The alfalfa will be planted after they are moved off of the area, of course!

What I am basically asking is will one winter of leaching be enough to break down the ammonia so that the alfalfa plants are not burned?

Allen W · #5 10/20/09, 08:36 PM

Good alfalfa hay won't have seed.

james dilley · #6 10/20/09, 08:36 PM

Terri. you will need to plant A nurse crop. like oats with the Alfalfa seed. And if you till it up now there will be more breakdown over the winter.

rambler · #7 10/20/09, 09:50 PM

Good alfalfa should be cut just before it blooms - long before any seed would be in it. You will not find any alfalfa seed in the bale - unless you are buying the worst quality available!

Cool & wet is _perfect_ conditions for alfalfa to grow. It takes about 3 moths before those little seeds show up as good plants. Very, very slow to grow. It _will_ die in hot & dry conditions, but should do great in a cold & wet spring!

Best time to plant alfalfa is early spring or mid-late fall. It does not do well planting it in mid summer, in heat. During a cooler, rainy period. It likes firm packed soil, and only 1/2 inch deep.

It will not be happy with heavily manured soils. It likes P & K, but not that fresh & heavy. It doesn't need or want much N - which the chicken poo will have too much of.

--->Paul

Callieslamb · #8 10/21/09, 08:03 AM

Yes, one winter will do it.

sammyd · #9 10/21/09, 08:55 AM

Any seeds in alfalfa hay will be something other than alfalfa. Proper alfalfa hay is cut before all the plants even reach bloom.

fantasymaker · #10 10/21/09, 12:23 PM

Alfalfa seed is pretty cheep usually a buck a pound or so in bulf at your farm store They might be able to see you smaller quanities.

**Terri** · #11 10/21/09, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantasymaker

Alfalfa seed is pretty cheep usually a buck a pound or so in bulf at your farm store They might be able to see you smaller quanities.

It took me 12 months to find seed, and 5 months to get a bale of alfalfa hay.

It is not common out here. I do not see alfalfa growing in the fields, and the local feed store said they would LOVE to get in alfalfa hay, but they did not know when they could. That was 5 months ago, they have some now and so I bought a bale the other day.

I am sure a LOT of places have it, but, FINDING those places.....

I FINALLY got the seed mail order from a place that sells sprouters for salad. Legume seeds out here are clover, not alfalfa.

fantasymaker · #12 10/21/09, 12:36 PM

Have you ytried looking in a irragated area? Are there any near you or is it all dryland farming? If you have a Pioneer seed dealer near you they can get ya 50 lb bags.

Curtis B · #13 10/21/09, 12:37 PM

Where are you in Kansas? It is for sale all over here close to Wichita. I may be able to get you bales or seed. It is high dollar though.

**Terri** · #14 10/21/09, 12:50 PM

Thanks, guys, but I only have a small flock and I bought some alfalfa seeds in 6 ounce packetss from the company that sells it to make sprouts. That is enough to make a reasonable sized plot of alfalfa, I would think!

I did a germination test and the seeds are good. But, the seeds I put in the garden did not survive: I HAD been blaming the cold summer.

**Terri** · #15 10/21/09, 12:52 PM

Oh, yes.

I like in the KC area, and it is pretty much dry land farming. It rains a lot in the spring, here.

rambler · #16 10/21/09, 02:27 PM

Oh my gosh, 6 oz packets of alfalfa seed? I don't even want to know what that costs per lb.

You should plant about 10-25 lbs of seed per acre. I assume for chickens you are doing a very small area, but still at 6 oz a shot....

I'm sure there are many vendors, but one close to me that will ship partial bags is near me:

http://www.alseed.com/

Really neat old seed company, they sell to big farmers with GMO products, and to gardeners & homesteader types, cerified organic - whatever you want in between.

Pick an alfalfa that is suited for your climate - the stuff from here in MN likely will do fine for your needs - and grab a 20-30 lb bag, have it UPS'ed to you.

The seed keeps for a few years if you store it cool & dry, so you can plan ahead.

They have a lot of other neat stuff, sometimes the web site doesn't do the place justice, they have a lot of neat stuff and a little more homey, old-style attitude. Most of the building still has the wooden floors of decades ago.

--->Paul

bluetick · #17 10/21/09, 10:06 PM

I just bought small packages of a few different types of seeds for an experimental chicken and goose plot. Among them is a 2 oz. packet of alfalfa that should cover 100 to 125 square feet and cost $1.99. See http://sustainableseedco.com.

**Terri** · #18 10/21/09, 10:45 PM

Sustainable seeds has a really impressive line of seeds!

I am good on seed for right now, though!

Heritagefarm · #19 02/24/10, 12:06 PM

What if your chicken yard has so much nitrogen (hot), that your alfala won't grow? That's the primary reason why almost nothing will grow in a chicken yard after it's been there for a while. What will offset the nitrogen balance? Hay, mulch perhaps?

rambler · #20 02/24/10, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heritagefarm

What if your chicken yard has so much nitrogen (hot), that your alfala won't grow? That's the primary reason why almost nothing will grow in a chicken yard after it's been there for a while. What will offset the nitrogen balance? Hay, mulch perhaps?

Carbon. Like wood chips, corn stalks, straw, etc.

Tillage and a short amount of time often does it as well.

Planting a grass will use the N from the manure. Corn is a good grass to plant next.

Alfalfa is kind of a waste, as it will make it's own N in a few months, so kinda wasting the feature of the manure to put alfalfa in.

--->Paul