Jump to content

Recommended Posts

You have to be careful about long strands.

 

When they free range and help themselves to your lawn, they just peck small mouthfuls, which they can digest easily.

 

If they get long strands in their stomach, a solid plug may form which the hen can't digest, even with adequate grit in her diet.

 

This can lead to the hen getting an impacted crop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They definitely do. I have 3 trays of turf that were left over when a neighbour had their lawn returfed last summer. I rotate the grass trays through the winter when the chooks are in my very limited back garden. There are some pictures here somewhere that I posted at the week end. There you go - found the link

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18783

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I havent got my chickens yet, but my local poultry suppliers (SPR centre - www.sprcentre.co.uk) gave me a leaflet on everything you need to know about keeping chickens... and on it it says:

 

'Please do not let us roam on cut grass, especially when dry, we cannot break it off as we can with growing grass, it may make us "crop bpund", there is no cure for this. We cannot deal with grass mowings as they bung up our grinding stomach (Gizzard) because we cannot grind it up quickly enough'

 

Not sure if this is true or not, but I thought I would mention it as its in the leaflet!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have no idea, its just what it says on the leaflet. I also read somewhere that you should not give them hay as if it gets damp it can give off some toxic spores or something which affect the chickens. It said that you should always give them straw as bedding and never hay.

 

Maybe you should go one the spr centre website and give them a ring or send them an email, if you are concerned, as its their literature that says all this stuff.

 

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

'Please do not let us roam on cut grass, especially when dry, we cannot break it off as we can with growing grass, it may make us "crop bound", there is no cure for this. We cannot deal with grass mowings as they bung up our grinding stomach (Gizzard) because we cannot grind it up quickly enough'

 

Not sure if this is true or not, but I thought I would mention it as its in the leaflet!

 

That is what I meant. :lol:

 

Tara...hay can cause hens to become crop bound.....and it does harbour nasties as Chicken Licken says.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was told by 'an experienced breeder' :roll: to only use finest quality hay for bedding. Straw is hollow and can harbour red mites.

 

After 1 day of watching my girls eat the 'finest quality hay', I took it out and now use aubiose in the nestbox.

 

They eat hay, straw and shredded paper.

 

I personally think its best to avoid straw/hay altogether. That way you can never have a problem.

 

What was the original question?? :lol: Oh yes, grass. Mine decimated the grass within a couple of weeks. I now give them spinach/chard and curly kale (specially grown for them :oops: ) most days they get a small handful hung up in their run.

 

The pellets/mash give them everything they need, but the like the variety I think :D

 

Might look into the turf idea though :idea:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They do like their greens! :lol: Mine are getting very limited runs on the lawn at this time of year - while I still have some left :? The greens do give the yolks that lovely, orange colour so any way of getting them greens is good. My neighbour grew some chard in her flower beds but pests have given it the lacy look - so I now have free rein to go and pick some every day for the girls 8) They love it. Will have to put some in the veg patch this year! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...