Question about alfalfa blocks - is it long or short chop?

[HollyWoozle]

A bit of a random question but for any of you who buy the 1kg ish block of alfafa, is the chop longish or fairly short? I ask because we have a flock of chickens and as many of you will know, chickens are also currently in lockdown due to the avian flu epidemic. I bought ours an alfalfa block to try (one designed for poultry) as they are not roaming the grass anymore, since it is nutritious for them and also a good boredom breaker. The block I bought cost £5.50 for 1.2kg ish block and does have a bit of maize and grit added in, but it's the alfalfa I am after.

I was thinking that it would be far more economical to buy the blocks designed for horses instead, but the blocks for poultry are made with very short pieces of alfalfa since longer strands can block up their crop. I just thought I'd ask on here rather than investing in a bag of the blocks for horses, although I guess our horses would eat them up anyway!

Thank you.

 

[tda]

I have some fibres blocks from simple systems, I would say short fibre, but then short for a horse might not be short for a chicken ? sorry not much help

 

[criso]

Would definitely be more economical. I've bought the Agrobs fibre and herb ones at £18 for 15 and the Justfi alfablend ones at £5 for 4.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks both! The one I bought for the chooks looks like the attached pic - I am guessing in most horsey ones that the pieces are a little bit longer. I guess I could buy just a few like the alfablend ones mentioned, then could just not buy more if no good.

I had wonderful visions of trying to make my own, but don't see how I could without investing in a dehydrator of some sort!

 

[criso]

The agrobs ones are very short like that and crumbly but they are not alfala. I add the bits at the bottom of the box to feed like chaff. The only thing I would say if the chicken one has grit added it will change the texture whatever the chop is like.

 

[WelshD]

As a breeder of chickens I wouldn't risk it.
Halleys make a chicken block that should work out cheaper than £5.50 each though
Also alfalfa or grass pellets designed for horses dampened to make them crumbly work quite well for poultry

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thank you, that's really helpful.