Can you have too much grass?

[Bama4545]

Baby chicks will be 5 weeks old Monday. I want to let them out of the coop and into the run but not sure if they need to be in grass as tall as what is in my run right now. the grass is knee high with the some stems over 5' tall. Some of it is beaten down where I have walked through it so they will be able to get around. I am worried about them eating too much and making them sick. Should I cut it down? Cut it down and remove cut grass? Lock goats in there and let them graze it down? Any advice.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Photos?
They will probably be o.k. in tall grass. I had week olds running around with a broody in of varying heights, from mowed to tall and weedy without any issues.

 

[Bama4545]

This photo was July 21. It’s taller now.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

This photo was July 21. It’s taller now.

I'd mow/weedwhack it *personally* just because I have put chicks in grass like that, and all of the tall hard grass stems just sort of stay there for what seems like forever and ever, which annoyed me, but in the end, it shouldn't hurt a thing if you don't mow it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This photo was July 21. It’s taller now.

You could mow a few areas in there so they have some short grass too, if you wish.

 

[centrarchid]

Mow just a strip down the middle. They will not consume much of the taller stuff directly, but it makes for an exceptional insect trap the chickens can forage through each morning. I would place a light out over the weed patch to attract insects that will hunker down in the grass during the day. The chickens will invest considerable effort going after the insects. Unlike with a light shining on a wall or concrete, you will not have insects leaving once struck by sun or consumed by songbirds that glean such locations at dawn.

My younger birds effectively have tunnels in the higher stuff and use it as refuge from extreme heat of day.

 

[Lovem all]

cut it down

 

[Al Gerhart]

Leave it high, they will tunnel through. Gives em a bit of shade, attracts bugs, and birds are smart enough not to eat more than they need. They will want protein as they are growing so they will fill up on chicken feed and snack on the grass. Plenty of pastured poultry operations both meat birds and layers doing fine with all you can eat grass.