Nest bedding; hay or sawdust?

[vfem]

Hmm... I hadn't thought of that. When they are out free ranging they end up in the piles when I'm done mowing anyways. Not just for the grass but for the bugs hiding in it as well. I'd like to know if I should stop them from it? Also should I not put it in the compost pile anymore then?

 

[seminolewind]

Grass turns stinky real fast. As far as giving them grass, I would think that they can get too much at once and clog up their crop

 

[ravenfeathers]

the danger with feeding grass clippings is mostly confined to non-ruminants. after all, silage, haylage, and baleage is all fermented matter. it's the fermentation that's dangerous, particularly to horses. i really don't know whether it's okay to give to chickens. i probably wouldn't, just because i don't know for sure? but YMMV.

also, i'd like to point out that this thread is about nest box bedding, not litter.

 

[Jashdon]

I always mix grass clippings (the grass on our acre is just as much weeds as pasture grass) in with the wood shavings in our nesting boxes. It seems to form a better "nest" than just shavings or straw alone and provides that much more padding for the boxes so that the eggs don't fall on wood and crack. I've never noticed any molding or fermenting going on in the boxes.

 

[Opa]

Hay or dry grass in a nest box is a different issue than using it on the coop floor.