Part 0800.0005

[Chickybocker Glory]

I clip freshly picked grass into a bag clip (Ikea sell them 'cheeply' or get more expensive, posher ones from Lakeland Plastics) with a peg tensioner from my tent/awning clipped into it too. Then it's simply a matter of pushing the bobble through the bars on the Eglu/Cube run and looping it back through to secure it. I hang it at just above head height so that they can reach up and peck at it. They absolutely adore dandelions! When they see the bunch of grass approaching they go nuts! It aslo prevents messy waste, and any that they don't eat just gets left in the clip for easy disposal.

[jill the potter]

can we have pictures please?

[Christian]

Probably best not to give them cut grass. It is ok if they peck at it in the lawn as they eat small pieces, but longer bits can clog up their crops.

 

Good idea about the bag clip though Mine love dandelions too!

[Chickybocker Glory]

Will send photos later today. Grass is hung high enough and clipped tightly enough so that they can only peck at it - not ingest long strands. I agree that long strands of grass not a good idea for hens generally. This works. I was raised with over 1000 free range hens so do have a little knowledge - honest!!

[Christian]

Fair enough CBG, just a warning to others

[Chickybocker Glory]

Hi Christian,

 

You are absolutely right of course. No-one wants their hens to be harmed in any way. I have uploaded photos onto the gallery of the bag clip grass hanger idea - see "Chickybocker Glory's henpics". I appreciate that others do other things. Does work equally well for dandelions (which I also hang in the run!) and spinach etc.

 

Plymouth Barred Rock Speckled Sussex Two Labradors

[prof]

what a brilliant idea

mine love to eat grass and other weeds too and thats an excellent way to let them eat it and sooooo easy to clear up any waste too. eating free green stuff makes their eggs so delicious too with big yellow yolks yum

[Chickybocker Glory]

Thanks prof!

 

Hey I think I should post the photo of my when I was about 4 with our 1200 hatching eggs... We kept Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns and Light Sussex to cross breed. We sold free range eggs, oven ready birds (don't tell mine...) hatching eggs and day old chicks. Beware all you folk out there who have hens and children - it gets into your genes and is as addictive as any drug...

 

Back to the grass - our free rangers (38 acres by the way) could peck away on any length of grass or weeds they chose. They shared their pasture with the cows too! I think that provided you provide them with plenty of proper good flint-included grit and make sure that the grass has to be pecked at, there should be no problems whatsoever. Prof, you are certainly right about the quality of yolk you get with good quality (cheep) greens!

 

Ooh, I now have: Gingernut Ranger, Miss Pepperpot, Buff Sussex, Light Sussex, Speckled Sussex, Barred Plymouth Rock, Nieder Rheiner - think I should stop now. Run being extended forthwith. (£70!)

[prof]

Run being extended forthwith

lol i hope you are considering allowing them to free range in your veg patch too!

about the grass thing i dont understand why it is supposed to be bad for them where i got all my chucks from they were free ranging in large outdoor pens from being tiny babies and i asked how they managed to keep the grass, as mine has long since gone . the guy said that you need to keep them on course grass and to let it grow long (and it was really long too) and then the chucks dont do it any harm. I also give my chucks the grass cuttings out of the grass box when i mow the lawn and they love it and mine also spend hours sticking their heads through the fence of their free range area to eat the long grass around the edge. I must add that they pull up long strands of it too ( ) when they peck at it. Should i stop them? I am confused

[Chickybocker Glory]

Not unless you can't see the grass for the chickens. Or was that not unless you can't see the chickens for the grass...

[prof]

There is nothing that my husband and i enjoy more on a summer evening than listening to Durham Town by the genious that is Roger Whittaker, and getting my orps out on the lawn. Edited June 27, 2010 by Guest

[Chickybocker Glory]

Surely your favourite Roger song should be from the Best of Roger Whittaker track 11, "No Blade of Grass"? As of course, there is no blade of grass left if one lets one's chooks out on the lawn for longer than a day...

[Cinnamon]

Prof,if they eat long strands of grass,it can cause a crop blockage, which can be fatal.

When they Peck at a shortish lawn,they are only eating tiny short bits.

 

I wouldn't give them grass clippings either I am afraid, as oil may be on them from the mower.

This is why they shouldn't be fed to horses,and I would assume the same rules would apply.

[prof]

as oil may be on them from the mower

i dont think this applies to my grass cuttings as i use an electric mower