Ok to feed wild grass?

[Renthorin]

I was over in my neighbor's alfalfa field last night (with permission) cutting a few hand fulls for the ladies. On the walk home I noticed a LOT of tall grass on the side of the road. The blades were about a foot long. It looks like crab grass, only longer.

I cut a few hand fulls of that too and tossed it all into the run. The ladies went to town on the long blades of grass, some doing the "lady and the tramp" thing where each has an end of a long piece.

Then....after I had fed them the grass...I thought to look up if it's ok to feed? There seems to be some concern about it getting balled up inside them and killing them?

They should get plenty of grit in their diet as they free range by day and the coop floor is contractor sand with large aggregate.

Thoughts?


Will

 

[BarredRock971]

They'll probably be fine, you just have to watch out for problems with their crop. Next time, you might want to break it up a little.
Good luck!

 

[Renthorin]

I thought about cutting it down into 4" or smaller strips, more like cut lawn grass.

What are signs of an impacted crop? I would think by the time I notice they aren't eating it's too late.

 

[BarredRock971]

Yep, they don't eat, their crop would also be hard and distended, and they get very sluggish.