Grass and Straw Related to Crop impaction?

[momreda]

I have seen quite a few posts regarding an impacted crop and most that I have seen pictures of seem to have either grass or straw in them. My DH wants to start putting straw in nest boxes and allowing the Chickens to free range a little but I am fearful of this. Has anyone else noticed a relation to the two or am I wrong?

 

[Katy]

I've been raising chickens for 50+ years.....and have used straw for all of those years for one thing or another.....either as bedding or in the nest boxes. Can it happen, I'm sure it can, but I've never had a problem with it happening.

 

[Sissy]

I use straw in the nest boxes the past 2 years
using wood shaving for the floors in the coops,
my flock threw out the shavings from the nests
' and seem to prefer the straw.

 

[MissJenny]

I think what you are seeing is grass and "hay" -- Hay is a food -- straw is a bedding and yes, the beasts do tend to know the difference. I would be like you, fearful of letting them have hay. I do feel that if they have adequate food available they will be less likely to gorge themselves on hay. And be sure to offer them grit so they can digest grasses... Surely even the stupidest hen would eschew grass when she can have some nice tasy tomatoes or crumbles or cabbage... Surely!

Jenny

 

[Beekissed]

All my hens eat grass....of course they do, they free range! I open gizzards and crops on all the birds I butcher and I find grass in each and every one. Never had an impacted crop in all the years we've had chickens. I think it's more likely that a bird can get an impacted crop from an overstuffed crop more than anything else.

I always use hay or straw nesting materials as well.

 

[eastbaychicks]

I was dumb enough to buy alfalfa and wound up loosing one bird and barely saved another. Don't buy that either.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I throw alfalfa out to mine quite frequently in the winter and have never had any crop problems. They pretty much eat the leaves off of the stems and leave the stems behind.

 

[Chris09]

I fed hay all the time. I now get a 50lb bag of alfalfa meal and add it to there feed...
I never had any crop problems at all..


Chris

 

[T.E.R.]

I also add alfa to my feed never had a problem, they know when it is not in there.

 

[txchickie]

I free feed alfalfa hay to my marans that aren't lucky enough to get to free range often. They pick all the leaves off the stems and then I get to rake all the stems out of the run

I've done this for forever and never had the slightest problem.

If they have grit, they should be fine.