Grass seed

[hdgddd]

My husband just seeded our yard. My daughter lets her chickens out daily and is afraid because they are eating the grass seed. She has put them up for now, but will it harm them if they eat grass seed?

 

[LegHorn-BusHorn]

I wouldn't think so. My chicks eat sunflower seeds on a daily basis, but I doubt you will grow any grass.

 

[HEChicken]

I don't see how it could hurt them - after all, wild birds eat it all the time. But you won't grow much grass. I had to reseed an area recently and I put a layer of soil on top of the seed, to stop it getting eaten by my free rangers, and also to stop the wind blowing it away before it could germinate. I then put a spare piece of 1/4" hardware cloth over that, just until the grass started to come up. That stopped them scratching away the dirt to get to the seeds.

 

[purpletree23]

Read the bag the grass seed came in. It is usually coated with something or other that could be harmful to your chickens. I wouldn't let them eat it.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Absolutely agree, many grass seeds are coated with chemical fertilizer or things that help the seed retain moisture or kill bugs that would eat the seed. Do not let your chickens eat it.

 

[hdgddd]

Thanks for the Advice. She brought the chickens up on the drive way out of the grass. We would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Attack Chicken]

I wish I knew about this! My mom during the summer spread grass seed in the backyard to cover the bare patches and the chickens went haywire over it.. I couldn't stop them from eating it.

 

[txchickie]

Ours got into the BAG of grass seed that my husband left half full laying on the porch

I don't know how much they ate, but they had it everywhere and I would assume they ate quite a bit.


Needless to say, they're all still here and fine nearly 5 months later.