mrsm_jones Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 NOw summer is coming up, and the grass will be growing soon....will my girls be happy if i sprinkled some cut/mown grass in their run to keep them busy while I'm at work??? Who knows....maybe it will make them leave my lawn grass alone when they free range when I get home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Hello, I think they should avoid cut grass incase it causes them to have crop problems When they eat it when it is still growing the pick off short pieces rather than longer bits that are already cut. Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsm_jones Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Karen, thanks for that. I'm glad I asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabergé Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Grass cutting is also something that I have been thinking about. Our mower doesn't collect the grass, instead it chops it up & leaves it as a mulch. (ride on style) Will it still be OK to continue doing this? This will be its' first cut of the year - last time it was cut we didn't have the girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Just out of interest, will it do them any harm to eat longer pieces? My girls have been cropping the grass and are eating long bits and lots of it! I would hate for them to be ill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 You need to get the strimmer or shears out and get rid of any long grass or you could end up with a sick bird and a big vets bill Long bits of grass can get stuck in the chicken's crop, ending up as an indigestible ball that blocks the crop - an impacted crop. In serious cases may end up with the vet having to operate to remove it, The hens may be having great fun eating the long grass but it really isn't worth the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 When hens crop the grass themselves, they bite off little pieces, even from the long grass. If you give them long pieces of grass that have been cut off and they swallow them whole, it can be dangerous. Chopped grass is fine, and I don't suppose it matters if it goes a bit off, because it then becomes silage which is still edible if you like that kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 That is right, it may ball up in their crops and cause an impaction. You can plant grass seed in trays and let them peck at that.....but they take weeks to grow and no time at all to demolish! Why not give them a cabbage or lettuce to nibble at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...