Should I mow the grass?

[NewOldMotherHen]

My chicks are seven weeks old. They have NOT been in their chicken yard because it's not quite secure just yet. I'm hoping to have it safe by this weekend. While I have been working on the fencing, the grass has grown tall and has fallen over. Should I mow it before I let them into their enclosure. It's about 22 feet by 22 feet. In other words, if they eat the tall grass, will it be harmful?

 

[bryan99705]

Nope, the chicks will love running thru it and will eat it down. Mowing takes away their fun and reduces available bugs

 

[Judy]

Or -- mine when loose go right on a freshly mowed area, to catch the bugs it stirs up and to eat the handy little pieces of grass. I think you can go either way.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah...lol...mine literally follow the mower when we're cutting grass - they love the short pieces and whatever else is stirred up.

 

[gunnarmcc]

go 50/50 let them eat the fresh clipped grass for the first while then when that starts to fun out they will start digging in the taller grass giving the mowed grass time to grow back

 

[Eggcessive]

This is just my opinion and I am a newbie--I mowed my grass with the highest setting on my riding mower because it is very coarse pasture grass and I didn't want snakes to be there in the taller grass. We continue to mow it at the same height each week and my 9 week olds love it.

 

[TDM]

We mow our fields regularly for our pastured poultry. The grass is more tender and digestible for chickens near the roots.

 

[patandchickens]

If it were me I'd leave it tall, first for cover (shade, and some degree of protection vs hawks, unless your run is covered); secondly for interest (tall grass will harbor more interesting insects, and offer more different experiences for the chickens than a mowed lawn); and thirdly because it will probably last longer if you leave it tall at the outset. I mean it will probably go to dirt (or dirt plus weeds) eventually, but leaving the grass tall is likely to delay that somewhat IMO.

I would just make sure that they are offered some age/size-appropriate grit starting a few days before you put them out on grass, if they've only ever eaten bagged food before.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat