# feed question...vetch



## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

does anyone feed crown vetch or hairy vetch to their rabbits and if so do you feed it fresh and have you ever dried either for hay.thanks for any replies and thoughts on these 3 plants.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

What is the third plant?

I'm not sure about crown vetch... you'll have to google it.

In general the vetch family is high protein forage for rabbits. I feed vetch when I can find it.

06 | April | 2011 | The Dancing Farmer ... ess-vetch/

There are some concerns with cattle eating too much hairy vetch (vicia villosa).

http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/ ... /vetch.asp


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

thanks maggie...oh the number 3 was typed when i was rushing earlier....only 2.i have alot of vetch coming up on my erosion stablization projects and was thinking of gleening a bit of free rabbit food for my future rabbit projects and wanted some imput by others on this subject......really thanks a lot.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

When trying out any new food with rabbits, remember to go slowly so if there is an adverse reaction, for whatever reason, it is likely to be a mild one. I always feed an assortment of greens, in an effort to offer forage that mimics the way a rabbit would feed in the wild... a leaf of this, a nibble of that. You will rarely see a wild rabbit eat much of any one thing at a time.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

vetch is great for chickens, geese, ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep, but needs to be watched for horses and cattle so they dont over do it too fast, its really rich,


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