Grass clippins in my Hen House?

[NC-Chickoholic]

I was just wondering if anyone does this...and what are the pros and cons of it that you have discovered.... Thx so much.....I am new in this chicken addiction and was wondring if it could save me a little money Thx Alot!

 

[purecountrychicken]

My chickens love it when I throw grass in their run. They go crazy over it,, plus its good for them.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I wouldn't use them in my coop, because they tend to smell in a very short amount of time. I believe I've seen where people have used them though. The chickens also enjoy eating them.

 

[Imp]

I use grass clippings in the run with out problems. In the fall leaves. I've never bought anything for the run. In the coop I use shredded newspaper.

Imp

 

[SarahFair]

I used dried grass clippings in the nesting boxes. Ill throw a couple hand fulls of fresh grass clippings in the coop for them to snack on. Its funny when the lawn mower sprays the side of the coop. They go nuts over it!

 

[Renee]

Some chickens will eat too much of the cut grass at once and get impacted crops.

If they are free-ranging, they can only tear off small pieces of grass, but if the cut grass is in long pieces they can swallow it whole and it can ball up.

Some chicken owners spread the cut grass around in the yard until it dries then throw it down instead of pine shavings.

 

[chickflick]

I read on another thread that you really have to be careful in doing this. When chickens eat grass, they bite off little tiny pieces of grass and is easily digested. Cut grass is longer, therefore can lodge in their crop and cause impacted crop. Make sure they have grit, in order to help in the digestion.

 

[redoak]

I use grass clippings as bedding spring, summer and fall. I make sure the clippings dry for 2 good days in the sun before I put any in the coop. My chickens have about an acre of grass they free range on so they are never in short supply of grass. So the grass bedding isn't a treat for them. I could see if someones chickens have a dirt run with no grass where they might get overexcited about the grass bedding and eat too much. Mine leave the stuff alone.

 

[Mahonri]

mine get clippings at least once a week. Haven't had any impacted crops... yet.

 

[Anny]

My chickens love to eat grass clipping and I Will put them in the run for them to eat and pick at but I wouldn't use them for bedding the coop. Grass can get matted up when wet, and become smelly.