? for those who use grass clippings

[jennmugg]

We plan to use dried clippings in our coop, so that they can be added to the compost pile after we clean the coop. How often do you clean your clippings out? Do you just add more when it gets stinky, or completely start over with fresh every so often?

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Newbie here so of no help. But I've read you shouldn't use grass clippings that have been sprayed, which you may already know.

 

[jennmugg]

No, I didn't think about that, but it's ok because we're lazy. Hubby just mows and weed eats every weekend and that's about all the yard work we do. There are so many trees that drop branches that need to cleaned up, along with the vegetable garden, we don't have time for much else as far as yard maintenance.

 

[CARS]

I'm not sure if weed n feeding would really harm the chickens or not. I'm not even sure if it's fully composted that you couldn't use it in your garden. I do know for sure that you shouldn't use treated grass directly in your garden as mulch/fertilizer.

I guess it doesn't really matter in this situation since you don't treat the grass anyway

 

[patandchickens]

Everybody develops their own style of management. Some people woudl rather put less bedding in and change it all out frequently; some people would rather just add more fresh bedding and accumulate a litter pack for a good long while; or anything in between. It depends a lot on the peculiarities of your coop and your personality

So, do whatever seems right to you

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ducks4you]

You GO GIRL--MAKE those chickens work for their keep!!

 

[ducks4you]

I remember reading an article on this a couple of months ago, entitled, "Lazy Chicken Farmer," or.....something like that.

Is this where you got the idea?

 

[GardeNerd]

Quote:
I have a neighbor down the street that used to keep chickens many years ago he said he used dried grass clippings for bedding. He said he kept adding more on top each week, and would clean it all out and put it in the garden every 3 or 4 months. I have yet to try it, but I am interested in trying it as well. I would love to hear more folks' experience with it.

I don't use any chemical fertilizers or herbicides so it won't be an issue for us.

 

[jennmugg]

I actually was leaving for work yesterday morning and looked out into our backyard. I noticed that the dogs had obviously been fertilizing some places more than others, and those places had really long grass. The rest of the yeard still is not ready to be mowed. I thought "too bad we can't harvest it like hay for the chickens". Then I got on here and saw a post that someone actually did use their grass clippings for bedding. Sounds good to me, it's free, and I can add it to the compost pile when they are done with it. Then the compost will help my veggies grow, and then I'll it to the chickens, then they'll poop... whole cycle of life thing right?

 

[ducks4you]

It IS the "cycle of life." The "circle of life" couldn't happen here. WE don't live in Africa.