What's a Honey Locust seed pod supposed to look like?

Mine are dark brown, hard, and sound like a baby's rattle when shaken. My hot summers bake the pods to a lifeless, crispy cracker. Is this normal everywhere or just in the deep south? I got excited after reading Tree Crops about their forage potential but my pigs won't hardly touch them

That's what they are like here in Oklshoma ... This time of year. They are green on the trees for several weeks, but gradually turn dry and black before they fall. I always assumed they were fodder when green ... And need to be harvested somehow?

David Dodge wrote:I got excited after reading Tree Crops about their forage potential but my pigs won't hardly touch them

Did you try to feed them to the pigs when they were fresh?

There must be a sweet spot between green with underdeveloped seeds and black with hard seeds. I tried feeding them green and velvety but the seeds were still small and, as I understand it, the sugar comes from the pulp surrounding the seeds. I know cattle will eat dried Mesquite beans so I assumed pigs would eat the dried locust beans...nope