help!! Can chickens eat cut grass

[raskusbo]

hello
we are getting 8 ex-battery hens on saturday and want to know if they can eat cut grass as an extra treat and also suet blocks and mealworms should they be live or fried or either.
any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks Vicki

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Well, Live chickens will eat better than fried chickens.

Sorry couldn't help myself.

First off

Yes to all three. Some on here say to not give long blades of grass to chickens cause it could ball up in their crop and cause an impaction. My chickens love the suet blocks I make for the wild birds. They hang out under them. Lots of people raise mealworms for their chickens, never heard of frying them. Maybe if people are eating them w/ ketchup.

Imp- Good of you to rescue ex battery hens.

 

[raskusbo]

Thanks for your help really appreciate it, saves throwing away the grass cuttings if they can make use of it.
Will get some suet blocks and some fried mealworms as a treat - mmm mealworms in yoghurt!!

 

[Imp]

Quote:
I throw all my grass cuttings in the run, during the summer. Or in the compost bin (which is the hens second home)

Imp- I prefer fried earthworm.

 

[schmije]

Our girls follow us around when we mow and eat the freshly cut grass and bugs that get uncovered. When we finish, they climb all over the tractor to eat the clippings off it. They'll eat all kinds of things that you may not have thought of.

Here's the BYC treat chart: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[felidaet]

After about the third time mowing the lawn the chickens figured out that they are going to get grass clippings. They now get very excited when they see me getting the lawn mower out. Fresh grass clippings seems to be one of their favorite foods.

Before you give them the grass clippings though you should consider how long it has been since (if) you put any chemicals on the lawn. I use very few chemicals. I always keep chemicals to a minimum. In the spring I usually use a granular fertilizer (NOT Weed and Feed) once and spray a liquid broad leaf weed killer. Next spring (I am new to chickens this year) I will wait at least three weeks and 2 or 3 mowings before I give them grass clippings. I will also keep them confined to their coop and run during this time. I may even skip the fertilizer completely or only fertilize a couple of small problem areas. It can get expensive to fertilize a large lawn (about 1/3 acre).

 

[TexasVet]

Grass clippings are fine, as long as they're short. A couple of my hens got impacted crops when we were feeding them long blades of grass. If the grass is tall when I'm mowing, I just run over it a couple of times to chop it up. Works great, and the hens love it.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[raskusbo]

We don't tend to treat our lawn with dogs there is not much point - what about dog wee can they still have the grass - i think i am going to be a paranoid chicken mother!

 

[vstoltzfus]

This post brought back memories of that book, How to Eat Fried Worms. Anyway, what grass we have that doesn't get stored for the winter for the guinea pig gets thrown into the chicken run. They love it!

 

[phalenbeck]

I have learned over the last year--- --Mine have free choice layer pellets and water--all the time -They eat whatever I could eat--but did not--leftover supper becomes chicken food--garden produce extra or buggy becomes chicken food, apples/pears/berrys/stuff that grows in my yard, or could, is chicken food. ---They like bugs and worms, and I show them spots in the yard where these are available.- --Mice have become rare in my shed/garden and yard. --I let them eat what they want--and use the like little garbage cans. I can see no reason to worry about what they eat. This said I give them my leftovers as PART of there basic layer pellet diet.