Chickens eating large strands if grass is this an issue?

[Egg_cited]

When I let my flock to free range half of them eat very long pieces of grass. I'm worried that if they eat to much it will get stuck in there crops. I do give them free access to grit.

 

[azygous]

You are right to be concerned about this. Grass, the tender blades, is usually consumed in tiny bites. But when it's gobbled and sucked in as long blades, it can eventually compact in the crop, forming a dense plug that no amount of grit will process.

The solution is rather simple. Mow the grass and remove any long cuttings.

 

[Egg_cited]

You are right to be concerned about this. Grass, the tender blades, is usually consumed in tiny bites. But when it's gobbled and sucked in as long blades, it can eventually compact in the crop, forming a dense plug that no amount of grit will process.

The solution is rather simple. Mow the grass and remove any long cuttings.

Unfortunately, where they're getting the grass it's a small spot wich can't get mowed I could physically take it out though. For now since I am pretty busy I'll keep everyone in.

 

[DickMidnight]

can you get a weed whacker in there and trim it down?

 

[azygous]

I urge you to get the grass cut in some fashion before letting your chickens access it again. The only cure for grass impacted crop is surgery. That's certainly something you'll wish to avoid.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Grit has nothing to do with the crop. Grit is used in the gizzard to grind things that need to be ground. Without grit they can get a compacted gizzard but grit is not going to help the crop at all. The gizzard comes after the crop, not before it.

 

[Jada22]

Unfortunately, where they're getting the grass it's a small spot wich can't get mowed I could physically take it out though. For now since I am pretty busy I'll keep everyone in.

What about a strimmers? Even though I can mow my chicken run there are some trees planted in places where grass grows up in between and it can’t be mowed so I use a strimmers to get all those hard to reach places. It’s a bit more time consuming but not as time consuming as pulling it all up