cut grass

[rigagirl]

Ok husband cuts grass then next day seeps it so it pretty much dry. he gives some to goats and chickens, think the goats just scratch through it not eat it. i was wondering has anyone used the cut grass in the coop? if so, are there any down falls in using it? the only thing i can think of is it might need to be cleaned out more often but i think i can handle that since i would be reusing something. any thoughts?

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I've heard of giving it chickens as a treat as long as it hasn't been sprayed with pesticides. But I guess you're talking about using it as litter? New to chickens, so not sure...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I can cause a crop impaction. WHen chickens eat grass, they bite of a small piece at a time. When it's already cut, they swallow much larger pieces--not good.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

Use a mulching blade on your mower so it cuts it small and no worries.
Just don't use chemicle fertalizers or pestasides for a couple of weeks if your giving it to your chickens.

 

[lane-h]

I put some in my run and the chicks didn't really eat it. They just scratch around in it looking for bugs.

 

[TreeHugger]

I occasionally use grass clippings in place of pine shavings during the summer. It doesn't hold up as well as pine shavings, but other then that it's fine. My chickens might eat some of it while it's fresh but after that they just scratch around in it. I do have a mulching blade on my lawnmower so it's chopped up.

 

[babylady4]

We have been putting the grass clippings into the run so they will decompose and invite more bugs to the area. The chickens seem to just scratch around in it looking for bugs since a lot of it is pulled weeds and really long.

Good luck!

 

[thedeacon]

I use it all the time. Fresh or dried, the chicks both eat and scratch it. I also have lots of tall growing grass. I pick a handful or two and give that to them also. It is almost as good as free ranging.

 

[CityClucks]

I put grass clippings in my cluck run all the time, too. They like scratching through it and it's easy for me to rake it out and add it to the garden as mulch or just throw into the compost pile after a week or so.

 

[thechickenchick]

I put our cut grass in the run as well. I never thought about using it as litter. I don't see why it wouldn't work. I agree it wouldn't last as long as shavings but clean up would be easy enough. I personally like the smell of the pine shavings, makes the coop smell new!