Help! I've been feeding my hens grass :(

[hali74]

I'm a newbie when it comes to looking after hens and I've been trying to educate myself on these hens via youtube videos/forums/books etc.. So I watched this video where the hens were set free on grass and they seemed to love it!!

Seeing this I ran to my local park (I'm from the uk) and I got one full carrier bag of quite long grass would say 4 inches (thinking they'd love it ) bad Idea I know since now I'm worried they'll get an impacted crop!!!

I'm actually petrified at the thought of my girls having their crops sliced open ... I felt one of my girls crop quite hard this evening when I was putting her in her coop - I'm really really hoping it's the food she's had all day & not any grass

I'm going to go check her crop in the morning and remove all the grass that's left ( I doubt there's any left)

I'm soo scared! I've got olive oil at the ready - how much shall I feed her?


Thanks guys

 

[satay]

I'm a newbie when it comes to looking after hens and I've been trying to educate myself on these hens via youtube videos/forums/books etc.. So I watched this video where the hens were set free on grass and they seemed to love it!!

Seeing this I ran to my local park (I'm from the uk) and I got one full carrier bag of quite long grass would say 4 inches (thinking they'd love it ) bad Idea I know since now I'm worried they'll get an impacted crop!!!

I'm actually petrified at the thought of my girls having their crops sliced open ... I felt one of my girls crop quite hard this evening when I was putting her in her coop - I'm really really hoping it's the food she's had all day & not any grass

I'm going to go check her crop in the morning and remove all the grass that's left ( I doubt there's any left)

I'm soo scared! I've got olive oil at the ready - how much shall I feed her?


Thanks guys

They should be fine. My hens free range all day and eat plenty of grass. Never had one with impacted crop yet.

 

[Flybybirds]

How many chickens do you have? Was the grass freshly mowed? I really don't know how much you gave them but I have been letting my hens forage the freshly mowed grass for a long time now and I have had no problems. They do kind of stuff themselves but I have not had any impacted crops. They eat what they want and move on to insects and other delicacies. I am certainly a new at raising chickens but I thought I would give you my thoughts and experience.

 

[hali74]

They should be fine. My hens free range all day and eat plenty of grass. Never had one with impacted crop yet.

Thank you for your reassurance!
How longs your grass? It's 12am here and I'm tempted to go remove the grass now -_-

 

[satay]

We have six acres of quite long grass and they eat it all day long.

 

[hali74]

How many chickens do you have?  Was the grass freshly mowed?  I really don't know how much you gave them but I have been letting my hens forage the freshly mowed grass for a long time now and I have had no problems.  They do kind of stuff themselves but I have not had any impacted crops.  They eat what they want and move on to insects and other delicacies.  I am certainly a new at raising chickens but I thought I would give you my thoughts and experience.  

I've only got two girls - that's probably why in panicking lol cos they're my only pets - ahh I'm starting to feel better thanks! - I literally went to the park with a yellow rubber glove and ripped the longest grass I could find (soo stupid of me) a plastic carrier full! There's some left - but I can't help but worry that they might be discomforted because of my stupidity!

 

[hali74]

We have six acres of quite long grass and they eat it all day long.

Ahh really?

! I do feel better now... Thank you

 

[Flybybirds]

They will be fine. I have heard and read that hens and roosters eat grass or shall I say graze until they just don't want anymore. They are not stupid by any means. You should see what mined with with a freshly pulled collard bunch!!!!!! Not to worry.

 

[MyPetNugget]

My hens free range too, and some eat even 6 inch grass. Never had a problem. you should be fine

 

[hali74]

Thank you guys!

I love this forum and I love my girls haha best pets ever - so greedy!