cereshill
Well-known member
So, part of our farm plan was to raise BOSS for the animals. Wondering if this would be a good feed on a consistant basis over winter? Is it too rich for daily feed?
thx
thx
Boss this summer?!
- Thread starter cereshill
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MANY people will add a tbls of BOSS to feed for the extra boost it gives. With wool rabbits I know it's VERY helpful with the wool (the rabbits put a LOT of what they eat into making the wool..and it's pure protein). It's certainly quite nutritious.
BOSS (Black oil sunflower seeds) are an excellent high protein, high fat, high energy food. They must be fed in moderation, however, because many rabbits fed too many will become fat. A tablespoon per rabbit per day in colder weather sounds about right. As with any new addition to your rabbit's food, introduce it slowly and monitor any changes.
macybaby
Member
I grew sunflowers last summer, the great big grey stripped variety. I fed them to the rabbits until they were gone (late December) and then switched to BOSS. They are getting about 1/2 Tablespoon a day, and the sure do like them. Next year I plan on planting twice and many sunflowers. I planted 25 seeds and got about 15 quarts of seeds.
Cathy
Cathy
cereshill
Well-known member
I am planning on seeding our perimeter fence. Should be about an acre of sunflowers---hopeful for a good crop for the rabbits, turkeys and layers!
Devon's Mom Lauren
Well-known member
Do you feed the seeds shelled or whole?
It is my understanding that the grey striped are just fine for bunny. I believe they are not as high in oil, so are not used for the sunflower oil production, but are BIGGER normally than the BOSS, so are used more for human consumption/snack foods.
shells...I feed the shells on. Since I'm not an expert, I can't speak for anyone else, but the shells should be a really nice fiber source. The rabbits sure do like them. but of course..they go nuts over a STICK, too.
shells...I feed the shells on. Since I'm not an expert, I can't speak for anyone else, but the shells should be a really nice fiber source. The rabbits sure do like them. but of course..they go nuts over a STICK, too.
Yes, you can definitely feed sunflower seeds still in the shell. 
Frosted Rabbits
Well-known member
My rabbits get their BOSS in the shell, but I feed the regular sunflower as a hulled product. In one of Bob Bennet's books, a fella he respects uses sunflower as part of his daily feed mixture, and I believe Bennet himself uses the BOSS as a show conditioner. A friend uses BOSS as a wormer for her poultry.
I like the extra energy and EFAs that sunflower and Safflower provide.and using them helps keep any fat that the rabbit may accumulate from becoming yellow - any fat present in a rabbit should be white. And if I can keep the poultry away from them, I will have sunflowers strewn in several places. After all, what's the purpose of living out in the boonies if you can't enjoy all sorts of birds and butterflies?
I like the extra energy and EFAs that sunflower and Safflower provide.and using them helps keep any fat that the rabbit may accumulate from becoming yellow - any fat present in a rabbit should be white. And if I can keep the poultry away from them, I will have sunflowers strewn in several places. After all, what's the purpose of living out in the boonies if you can't enjoy all sorts of birds and butterflies?
