Is it okay if hens eat dried lawn and dirt?

[Carrie Lynn]

So my hens were able to scratch around in the dirt yesterday for an hour or so while I cleaned their coop. I threw apple, kale and bread and in their pen and said "have fun". When it was time to put them away I noticed that they weren't so much pecking as eating dead dried grass (which came out easily) and dirt! This morning there were lots of blackish droppings. They seemed hungry and demanding, just like every morning----thank goodness. Should I stop letting them do this? I was hoping to let them out again today after work, they have cabin fever! But, I am worried about impacted crops from the grass, spindly and pathetic as it is.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Chickens are designed to eat grass and dirt, the roughage helps them digest their food. All my birds free-range during the spring, summer and fall so they eat tons of dirt and grass, dead and alive!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

My Guineas and Chickens free range all day long and go to bed around 8:00

 

[AKsmama]

Mine do it all the time and they are fine. It's normal and natural.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Thanks all! Sure don't want to to worry about doing crop surgery for crops packed with grass!

 

[firsthouse_mp]

My chickens eat grass and dirt all day long. Today, because of some gardening and chicken-proofing I am attempting to do, I didn't let them out. I threw in about a bucket of lawn clippings and about 2 hrs later I looked in their coop and their poop was bright GREEN! Looked just like lawn clippings--perfect camo for fertilizing lawn