Can grass clippings be used for bedding?

[jbowyer01]

Hi All,
I'm still in the learning process of chickens and trying desperatly to gather all my supplies to be ready

But I was wondering can I use grass clippings for bedding? I live in southwest ga so rain isnt really a problem and it would be cleaned out regularly, during the winter I would be using hay but just thought maybe this was feasible and cost effective.

 

[scooter147]

I use grass clippings when available in their nest boxes, so I see no reason if you have enough that it could not be used as bedding.

Do not use if you apply fertilizer, herbicides or pesticides to your lawn.

 

[redhen]

good question!!..i was goning to try the same thing..but i couldent get my clippings to dry out enough...and i didnt want it to get moldy so i had to throw them out....i wish i knew of a way to dry my cliippings!...does anyone here know?...Wendy

 

[punkin]

I posed this same question to my DH a couple of weeks ago, except I wanted to use it in the run. We usually have to rake our yard after we mow and haul it to a ditch in the back of our Kubota. He said the clipping would get moldy. I didn't think so because of the way they are always scratching and turning it. If we lived in a damp area, I would've agreed with him, but we don't. I think it would be a good way to save on straw.

 

[dangerouschicken]

If they don't eat it all first

 

[scooter147]

Placing the grass clippings in the run should not be a problem, the chickens should keep them stirred up by scratching unless they are a couple feet deep in the run.

The grass clippings I place in the nest I simply spread on the out side of the run, you know the spot that is dead because the chickens stick their head throught the wire and eat the grass, let it dry a few days and use as nesting material. the chickens then can eat freesh grass for a couple days.

 

[redhen]

okay..thanks guys...my chickens love that grass!!..Wendy

 

[vixchix]

I would be extremely careful using grass for bedding because the chickens will probably eat it. Once, my boyfriend mowed the yard with one of those mowers that collects grass in a bag and dumped a bag of clippings into the chicken house. A few days later, one of my reds develop an impacted crop from eating all that grass. Unfortunately, it caused her death. I'd stick to straw if I was you.

 

[jbowyer01]

Thank you all for responding

I am a little scared ( or chicken haha) about getting this started..I never new that there could be so many issues with having chickens..But nonetheless I am hooked! I will price hay bales and use grass as a treat every so often as long its dry (shouldnt be a problem seeing as our govenor had a day for praying for rain this year

) Thank you all once again. You guys are great!

 

[redoak]

I use grass clippings as bedding in my coop. I let the grass dry for a couple days then use a lawn sweeper to collect it. The chickens pretty much ignore it in the coop. They do eat some fresh grass that is nice and green, but ignore the crunchy dried out stuff so I'm not worried about an impacted crop with them.