Grass clippings in the run??

[Coffeewastedmomma]

Hello.
I have heard both. Yea and nay! So, what is your opinion?
Can/should you put fresh mowed grass clippings in the run?
I would love to hear from multiple people. Why you do or don't.
Any dangers or advantages.
Thanks in advance.
p.s. I hope I posted in the right forum...

 

[FortCluck]

If you do not spray chemicals on your lawn then I would do it. It’s very healthy and perfect entertainment for chickens.

We usually make big piles of grass in our large run and it keeps ours entertained at least for the day. We have been doing this for several years.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

If your chickens don't get any "free range" time, then go ahead. Just keep it at a moderate amount. If they aren't interested in eating it, they will likely just mix it in with the rest of the compost.

 

[Homesteadermomma6382]

My tweens have a pen with very little grass. They love it so I pick a bunch and throw it in for them. I cant imagine that is any different than mowed grass. My bigger chickens have a full yard full of grass and they eat it all day long

 

[AppleMomma65]

We throw in a couple of good-sized arm-fulls every time we mow and put it both in their coop and run. We don't use anything on our grass so there's a lot of mix in there: clover, dandelions, creeping charlie, etc. They love to scratch for bugs and eat the grass. I've seen on the forum some people discourage it because long pieces can get tangled in their crops but mine eat the long grass when they are free ranging so for me, it's 6 of 1; halfadozen of the other.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I add them regularly.

My birds cannot free range. I use no chemicals in the yard. I use a mulching blade on my mower so they are chopped well.

What they don't eat they mix in and I get great compost for the garden by fall. I scoop out in the fall and add to the garden. By spring it is decomposed enough to be great in the garden. No fresh droppings means it isn't going to burn my plants.

In the fall after I scoop the run I add all the leaves I can get. My own and from neighbors that use no chemicals.

 

[aart]

I do not dump them in the run, did it once and a couple gorged themselves and it took a few days for their crops to clear. I think that birds that do not free range are more likely to gorge on fresh clippings.

My 'lawn' is a coarse mix of vegetation and I don't mow frequently so clippings are long and tough. I do pile them up outside the run, lined with 1/2" HC, as mulch and they pick some thru the mesh.....and some (by intentional accident) get tossed thru the larger mesh above.

I do sometimes cut the long grasses in my fields and let them dry out for a couple days, weather permitting, then add to run as 'hay'.

Folks who mow frequently, producing short fine clippings, may have better luck.
One guy here, think he's gone now, added copious amounts of fine tender clippings(can't remember the type of grass) and had great success with his chickens turning it into garden soil. He also had an ingenious, tho labor intensive, way of collecting the soil.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The danger is that the long pieces get tangled in the crop or gizzard and block their digestive track. If they have access to grit the gizzard should take care of itself and grind them up, Grit will not help the crop.

When chickens are grazing the established grass still has its roots firmly in the ground. They tend to break off smaller pieces, but not always. I've seen them swallow some pretty long pieces. Typically it's not that many long pieces. When you toss grass into the run they will swallow whatever length it is, they can't break it up into smaller pieces. That's where the danger comes from.

Typically you either have a mulching mower and it is left on the ground or you bag it. Bagged grass is not mulched and can be in longer pieces. Typically mulched grass is short enough. You might want to dump and spread bagged grass and run over it a second time to remove most of the danger. Sour crop or compacted crop doesn't happen that often but it is a real risk. It does happen. I think you should actively try to avoid it.

What are the advantages of feeding them freshly mowed grass? They enjoy it. If you are using the deep litter method freshly mowed grass is a good additive. I think the main benefits are that it makes you feel better. The chickens don't really need it. As long as they have a decent diet It's not going to make them any healthier. Many of us really like for our chickens to eat things other than just their feed. I certainly do. The egg yolks should be darker than they otherwise would be. You can get different opinions as to how much feeding grass clippings affects the nutritional value or flavor of the eggs or meat if you eat them. It might even reduce your feed costs a bit.

I don't feed mine grass clippings but they have a grassy area where they can graze. I toss them kitchen scraps and a lot of excess or waste stuff from my garden. Not all of us can graze their chickens, tossing them grass clippings is not a bad thing in my opinion.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I've heard they can get sour crop.

 

[Parront]

I really believe chickens thrive on grass. I use dried fine grass in the brooder -- it crumbles into a powder and absorbs poop as they peck and scratch it around. I dry it because I do not want wetness in there while they are young. I also give them pulled clumps of grass and weeds with dirt on the roots which they attack at any age. I think that there are soil microbes on the roots that benefit all chickens, even chicks. My adult chickens always scratched up and ate everything, roots and all. Fresh-cut grass in a big pile will not dry, I spread it on the dirt thin, it's dry the next day. If they get a handful or 2 and are done with it in 15 minutes, they can't over-eat it I would not think. If they do not get it often, I could see chickens over doing it when the do get some green. I am convinced that as nutritious as bagged food is, it does not contain all the vitamins and minerals that fresh grass and other weeds have. I see the store selling "probiotics" for chickens. The birds get natural probiotics from our yards which makes them healthier than the corporate chickens.