Ok to add this grass clipping to chicken run?

[Mouthpear]

I have a covered chicken run that's got a floor of woodchips over dirt. Now that it's spring we just mowed our front lawn. The girls don't have access to grass in our suburban backyard they free-range in. I was going to put a bucket of grass clippings in their run for them to scratch around and eat or whatever they want! But I'm reading posts and getting mixed messages about if it's a Do or Don't. The grass clippings seem to all be under 2". See pic.

And if it is acceptable, should I just dump all the grass clippings in there or limit how much I put in there? Wondering if it's a good ground layer for the run itself?

I did this all the time and not only were there no issues but they loved it. I would cut the grass just to dump all the clippings in their run and coop. My lawn was the best kept law in the city.

 

[EddieSalita]

I have 2 acres. Grass grows very fast. Most of the clippings are caught and go in a huge pile in the chicken run. Where they eat some and the rest breeds bugs and sprouts for them to scratch up. I occasionally help them by turning it as it decomposes. They turn it into the most magnificent compost in a few weeks.
It's a source of great joy for them. Never had an issue.

 

[Lillith37]

Lots of people are saying it’s fine but for me, every time I dump lawn clippings where my chickens can access it results in impacted crop issues. My chickens do love to scratch around in it and it decomposes nicely but I don’t give it to them now. Maybe the length is different or maybe my chickens are just gutsy/don’t know what’s good for them. I used to give them the cauliflower leaves left over from the supermarket too but it caused similar crop problems. I would say just always check them in the days following as you’ve done and be prepared for if one does have trouble in the future.

 

[Sueby]

I lost a chicken from an impacted crop from grass clippings. I did it for years & never had a problem, till I did.

 

[Morrigan]

I put short grass clippings in their yard quite often and haven't had issues. The only time I had chickens with impacted crops was from eating the straw bedding in the coops.

 

[Mouthpear]

I lost a chicken from an impacted crop from grass clippings. I did it for years & never had a problem, till I did.

SO.. You are saying that every great once and a while you MIGHT have a problem. So you might go another 8 years with no issues. Sounds like maybe something else had made that issue. Could be.

 

[Mouthpear]

Lots of people are saying it’s fine but for me, every time I dump lawn clippings where my chickens can access it results in impacted crop issues. My chickens do love to scratch around in it and it decomposes nicely but I don’t give it to them now. Maybe the length is different or maybe my chickens are just gutsy/don’t know what’s good for them. I used to give them the cauliflower leaves left over from the supermarket too but it caused similar crop problems. I would say just always check them in the days following as you’ve done and be prepared for if one does have trouble in the future.

Do you have any tall grasses like johnson grass or grasses with thick stocks?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I lost a chicken from an impacted crop from grass clippings. I did it for years & never had a problem, till I did.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It's nice to hear about someone who actually had one of these "bad things that can happen" as opposed to everyone who "heard it can happen".

So, it absolutely can happen, but to your point, it's something you can go years without having happen. Each chicken owner can make their own choice based on their own risk assessment.

 

[Lillith37]

Do you have any tall grasses like johnson grass or grasses with thick stocks?

I’ve got all sorts of grasses and weeds and things. I have also read that if you’re using a petrol lawnmower to mow your lawn, don’t give the clippings to your chickens because of the petrol residue.

 

[Mouthpear]

I have a covered chicken run that's got a floor of woodchips over dirt. Now that it's spring we just mowed our front lawn. The girls don't have access to grass in our suburban backyard they free-range in. I was going to put a bucket of grass clippings in their run for them to scratch around and eat or whatever they want! But I'm reading posts and getting mixed messages about if it's a Do or Don't. The grass clippings seem to all be under 2". See pic.

And if it is acceptable, should I just dump all the grass clippings in there or limit how much I put in there? Wondering if it's a good ground layer for the run itself?

BTW A few points.

If you can, use a mower with mulching blade and bagger. While you can use a rake after mowing, it is best to let the mower do it for you. By raking, you might be dragging unwanted dried up bits and unwanted heavier harder to eat things.

If you have a larger yard you may want to dedicate an area that you can throw in a mix seed of grasses. Use that for the main use in the run.

The rest of the grass you can keep in a compost pile. Let it start to break down and when ready to churn, let the chicken do it for you. Then rake it back up to do again later.

If the main goal is just to cover the ground of the run, you may want to make some grazing/grass bed boxes. Plant a variety of grass. This will help keep the run clean and have a place for the flock to stand on , on those rainy days.

Of course use a Large tire filled with packed layer of pea gravel, then a layer of packed 1" gravel, then, fill the rest of the way with, half sand and the other half Wood ash, Diatomaceous earth and used coffee grounds (not fresh). Makes for a great, faster drying dust bath.