Ducks love alfalfa too!

We decided to give a tub of alfalfa for our flock of Indian Runner Ducks to try. Wow! they really, really love it, they eat it throughout the day. They come to the yard and eat alfalfa for a while, then they take a run up to the pond and look for worms, and swim. Then they come back and it's more alfalfa and they go running off to the meadow to eat some fresh grass , and then they return to the house again and have more alfalfa. Then they take a nap in the yard, and they wake up, nibble more alfalfa, go running to browse, return again. . .  over and over 

We weren't sure how well they would handle the tough alfalfa stems, and had been cutting up alfalfa. for them by hand, with goat hoof trimming shears, ( The stems of that to hard cut) to add to their mash. but now we find that they seem to have a little scissor edges on their bills and can cut thru the stems just fine. And with so many of duck bills snipping away, they can cut more than we can cut for them. So we've decided that there's enough protein in the alfalfa, and now we know they can cut and eat enough of it, so we don't really need to give them any waterfowl pellets, or mash to supplement their diet, and we can put away the goat hoof trimming shears. This is going to save so much time.

The alfalfa's protein, and all the good browse they find from the woods, and pond will keep them healthy, and strong.   

The ducks actually seem a lot more contented now, they are even quieter. Alfalfa  is going to be a permanent addition to our ducks diet.  

GO BERNIE!