Are grass clippings bad for your chickens?

[lazy gardener]

I was going to post a similar question and ran across your thread.
We too have used grass clippings for about 2 months now (in the run, not the coop) and it does seem to work out very well. Like others have said I dump it in a pile or 2 and before you know it the hens (5 here) have turned the piles into a 2" shag carpet in the run. The grass absorbs the poop great and after about a week I'll rake it up and add it to the compost piles and replace with fresh clippings. Grass clippings are high in moisture so 2" deep is good enough for it to dry out quickly and not get clumpy/moldy. Since it is so moist and green I do not use it inside the coop but rather use dryer pine shavings for coop floor and nesting boxes. Good to know too about the shorter the clippings the better for digesting. Our "lawn" is just a mix of wild grasses and weeds with clover, no fert or other treatments involved, just rain. When I mow I try to concentrate on the clover areas to bag up mostly for the run. My 2 cents.

Grass clippings are wonderful in the run, especially if your flock can't get out to free range in your yard. IMO, any time a run, or even a garden for that matter has bare soil, it is an unhealthy situation for the soil, and certainly for the plants in the garden as well as the chickens in the run. My goal is to keep both areas well covered. Look in the forest. How much bare ground do you see? For that matter, how much bare ground do you see any where where man hasn't left his mark? IMO God intends the soil to be covered. Instead of raking those clippings up to put in a compost pile, why not just leave them, and add to them? You can add leaves, garden debris, wood chips, used litter from your coop... or even stable litter if you have access to some. That deep litter will attract all kinds of beneficial organisms to the area, including insects, worms, beneficial bacteria and fungi (all work together to decrease pathogens, including internal/external parasites) All that good stuff will give your chickens a healthier digestive system, cut down on your food bill and give them hours and hours of purposeful entertainment. Don't bother taking any of that litter out, until you need some compost. Your chickens will make yards of compost for you, and you will work far less than you would by removing it so you can add a fresh layer.

One thing you should give them to make a good situation even better, especially if they are confined to a run is some grit. If we have to keep our chickens in a confined situation, we need to supply all of the things they would seek out if they were able to free range.

 

[Teila]

While I am basically just echoing what others have said, I will share my experience.

For over 3 years I have emptied the mower catcher into the run for the girls. Not only do they love it, as lazy gardener has mentioned above, it is an important part of the deep litter method I use in the run.

However, I did learn the hard way [impacted crop] that the clippings must not be too long.

 

[OldFowlGuy]

So,if I understand correctly, it is fine to feed clippings from a mower with mulching and bagging capabilities, but not clippings that are just thrown out a side discharge mower. Is this the consensus? Thanks

 

[0wen]

Mower collection doesn't matter. As long as the clippings are a reasonable length, they'll be fine. Mowers with collection bags make it easier - in that you don't have to physically rake it up for them...

 

[OldFowlGuy]

Mower collection doesn't matter.  As long as the clippings are a reasonable length, they'll be fine.  Mowers with collection bags make it easier - in that you don't have to physically rake it up for them...

Thanks. I'll make sure and chop it up the best I can.

 

[RR&L]

I'm new to backyard chickens and appreciate the tons of information. I have 10 teenagers and have put sand in the chicken run. However, I was interest in putting fresh grass clippings in the run area also. I don't use weed and feed on the grass, and I cut my front lawn with an electric mower. So think I'm adding a bag of grass clippings and see how my chickens react. For years I put grass clippings in the compost pile, and that was when using gas and oil in the mower. Hope it never affected the compost we used in our garden, lol. However, thanks again for the info, and I'll post how my chickens liked the grass.

 

[aart]

However, I did learn the hard way [impacted crop] that the clippings must not be too long.

Ditto Dat^^^

 

[debbieharry]

While I am basically just echoing what others have said, I will share my experience.

For over 3 years I have emptied the mower catcher into the run for the girls. Not only do they love it, as lazy gardener has mentioned above, it is an important part of the deep litter method I use in the run.

However, I did learn the hard way [impacted crop] that the clippings must not be too long.

Just wondering how you handled the impacted crop? I gave my girls some mixed length grass clippings and am v worried now about this! They ate them all yesterday and today so I am not sure yet if there’s a problem but want to be prepared!

 

[BDutch]

I thought I read some where to be sure they have plenty of grit if they are going to get grass clippings? Is that right?

YES

 

[BDutch]

Hi,
This is my first post. I have had chickens for one year now and have used BYC as a great reference during these early days.

I have just 3 Brahma hens and a cock named Basil. They live in a run the whole time as I cannot let them free range. They have scratched up all the Grass that was growing there and I was wondering about putting down the Grass clippings in the run as ground cover. I suppose I would get about three mower bags each time I mow, would this be too much to put in in one go?

Any suggestions for ground cover would be great. I don't like the idea of gravel or sand

I give just one mower container in the run at a time. Because too much grass is not good for the health of the soil. However I give as much leaves in autumn if I can, because that is healthy for the soil in the run. Has to do with compensating nitrates in chicken poop .