Grass clipping in the run or coup?

[aart]

You must be careful... I saw another thread on here last year... and I'm sure conditions need to be just right, possibly even including the type of tree... but I saw someone lost almost their whole flock to aspergillosis... confirmed cause was a pile of wood they had chipped and started using in their run. I'm no fear monger... but it's worth knowing about about maybe looking in to to make sure the conditions can't repeat themselves at your place.

Yes, best to let them age for a few months...and/or not put too many down at once.
Tho stump grindings are not as dangerous as branch chippings(less bark involved).
Here's the story:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dying-chickens.1129854/

Grass clippings, will repeat the others who let clippings dry before adding to run.

 

[gtaus]

I dry my grass clippings and then use them in the coop. Usually around 6-10” deep - it lasts around 6 months with a 1 min daily rake over. It’s so incredibly easy

Would you please explain how you dry your grass clippings? I have baggers on my riding mowers and a towable leaf sweeper. What system works best for you to dry and collect grass clippings? Thanks.

 

[webandclaw]

My chickens love hunting through all the fresh clippings for bugs and such. They generally get a large pile spread out over the course of a day. I still leave areas for dust baths though.

 

[Pork Pie]

Would you please explain how you dry your grass clippings? I have baggers on my riding mowers and a towable leaf sweeper. What system works best for you to dry and collect grass clippings? Thanks.

I simply cut the grass and leave it for a few days before collecting it (strictly speaking the caretaker used to both cut and collect the grass ) a rake was used to collect the clippings.

 

[gtaus]

I simply cut the grass and leave it for a few days before collecting it ... a rake was used to collect the clippings.

OK. I suppose the best way for me to do the same would be to cut the grass, leave it on the lawn for a few days to dry, and then use the baggers to collect the dried clippings. I have 3 acres to mow, so I really don't have time to use a manual rake on the whole lawn. I will also feed fresh grass clippings to the birds in the run. Thanks for the reply.

 

[aart]

(strictly speaking the caretaker used to both cut and collect the grass )

Oh Ken @Pork Pie , that cracked me up!

OK. I suppose the best way for me to do the same would be to cut the grass, leave it on the lawn for a few days to dry, and then use the baggers to collect the dried clippings. I have 3 acres to mow, so I really don't have time to use a manual rake on the whole lawn. I will also feed fresh grass clippings to the birds in the run. Thanks for the reply.

Beware too many fresh clippings, they can gorge on them and clog their crops.

When I first mow, I run in a pattern that will spread the clippings out rather than pile them up. Then reverse that pattern after it's dried to pile it up to rows to make it easier to rake and gather. Can be rough to find 3 consecutive dry days to do this.

I also let the grass grow pretty tall before mowing, my 'lawn' is a country yard and not cultured turf grass. No fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.

 

[gtaus]

...Beware too many fresh clippings, they can gorge on them and clog their crops.

I did not know that. I would still have pellet layer feed available for the hens in the coop/run. Also plan on feeding them kitchen scraps when available. In the winter, I plan on growing barley fodder for fresh greens. If the hens have a variety of food available to them, would they still gorge themselves on the fresh clippings?

As to drying and collecting grass clippings, I think maybe I should also get a caretaker... Sounds like the easiest way to dry, collect, and reuse those grass clippings!

 

[aart]

If the hens have a variety of food available to them, would they still gorge themselves on the fresh clippings?

They might, it's not guaranteed that they will gorge, but birds not free ranging get hungry for greens. Normally they would snip off the tips of grass and other plants, if offered piles of fresh greens when confined to a run they can get gluttonous. It can depend on the type of grass too...one guy here feed fresh clippings a lot in a serious deep litter soil building system, but they are short and a tender/fragile type of grass(name escapes me at the moment).
I use the bagged grass I mow as weed suppressing mulch around the outside of runs, they can pick at it thru the 1/2" hardware cloth...I toss just a bit inside the run.
But I am a rather cautious 'everything in moderation' kind of a chickeneer.

As to drying and collecting grass clippings, I think maybe I should also get a caretaker... Sounds like the easiest way to dry, collect, and reuse those grass clippings!

IKR!?
I was thinking the same thing!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

As to drying and collecting grass clippings, I think maybe I should also get a caretaker... Sounds like the easiest way to dry, collect, and reuse those grass clippings!

Sadly for me, I *am* the caretaker. I have two lawns (one is boggy, so I just leave the clippings on that one) but yeah I plan on rake days after mowing to rake up the clippings on lawn #1.