Fresh Grass

[SouthernBYChickens]

My chicks love fresh green grass from the yard because they are not in the outside pen yet. I can usually find some fresh grass (even this time of the year) and throw a handful in the pen with them. They will have it all cleaned up within 5 minutes or so. But, does anyone know the health benefits of eating fresh grass for the chickens?? Thanks in advance!

 

[SteveBaz]

Benefits of Eating Grass-Fed Meats 100% Grass-fed is as good as it gets. To us 100% grass-fed meat is like a preventive and curative medicine in food form. Grass and pastured is tasty and very good for all animal. When animals are healthy and disease free their meat is healthy and disease free “100% grass-fed animals cannot acquire BSE (Mad Cow Disease) ... and products from grass-fed animals may also lower your risk of becoming sickened Ecoli bacteria.” This is quoted by Mt Vernon Farms.

 

[PixieChixie]

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I think the OP was wondering about benefits for the chickens, not r humans eating them.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
I think the OP was wondering about benefits for the chickens, not r humans eating them.

Hmmmm ok let me explain. This was quoted by "drummmmmmm Rolllllllll" Mt Vernon Farms and the benefit for all farm animals eating grass and the benefit of how grass helps the animals become better foods to eat as well. That included chickens and there was no where any mention in my post regarding humans eating grass. The article was talking about animals that ate grass and how they benefit by all the nutrients in the grass itself. How well it helped in the digestive tract, the nutrients and how rich it is in making for better quality in the animals for consumption including the secondary benefit like the eggs that chickens produce are richer and secondary benefits that the animals that consume grass are healthier, stronger and less diseased such as getting and having E coli and other problems such as BSA IE mad cow disease for eating the grass. I may have read it wrong but you implied human consumption of grass and there is also benefit for all humans in eating different types of grass bc we also not being the lower form of animals are still mammals and do benefit by eating grass ourselves as mammals. They are now serving a variety of grasses in health bars in our smoothies that have a huge variety of vitamin that are diverse and range from being smarter for it to a better bowl movement. So if I am off base please accept my apology now and will not comment again. I certainly have been mistaken for my posts in the past and will be misunderstood in the future for sure.

 

[SouthernBYChickens]

Steve - I understood what you were saying. Nothing taken wrong here. While I was reading your second post, I couldn't help but think of Les Miles (LSU football coach if you are not a college football fan) eating grass on the sideline of some game from last year's season. I guess he has read of the benefits also.

Thanks for responding!!

 

[BlazeJester]

I think the OP may have been asking (and what PixieChixie was saying) what the health benefits are to the chickens, rather than to people who eat grass fed animals (or, uh, grass).

Chickens are omnivores and as such a balanced poultry diet will include bugs, small animals (mice/snakes/etc), grasses, leaves and other plant material. Given the opportunity to free-range the birds will eat to satisfy any lack in their diet.

The benefits to eating the correct diet for a body type (such as 100% grass-fed beef as cows evolved to eat grasses pretty much exclusively) include highly functioning immune systems leading to low incidence of illness, healthy growth of hair/feathers/fur, effective digestion and successful reproduction. Any animal with a balanced diet will have an immune system that keeps parasite load at a manageable level.

 

[ralphwt]

You think green grass is good. Get them a head of lettuce and watch them tear it up. I have 26 Plymouth Rocks and I gave them a leftover head about 4" in diameter in their fourth week. It was gone within 5 hours, stem and all.

 

[BlazeJester]

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There is 0% nutritional value in lettuce aside from water. Cabbage is tougher for them to tear up (lasts longer) and has lots of vitamins and minerals. The same "superfoods" that are advertised for people apply to chickens; same with the "do not eat" stuff.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
Unfortunately even though they like lettuce and tear it up it has little to no nutritional value other than water for hydration, fiber and a touch of carbohydrates. The foods that would better benefit your chickies would be ones that are high in proteins and vitamins. Please believe me when saying I am not spamming you at all there is value in fun and and the benefits I mentioned.

Steve - I understood what you were saying. Nothing taken wrong here. While I was reading your second post, I couldn't help but think of Les Miles (LSU football coach if you are not a college football fan) eating grass on the sideline of some game from last year's season. I guess he has read of the benefits also. lol Thanks for responding!!

 

[cboriskin]

Unfortunately even though they like lettuce and tear it up it has little to no nutritional value other than water for hydration, fiber and a touch of carbohydrates.

Does that mean for all lettuce including romaine? or just iceburg lettuce?​