Can Chickens Eat Grass? Yes — But Never Sprayed Clippings

Why grass is good for chickens

Chickens are omnivores that eat grains, fruits, vegetables and insects, as University of Minnesota Extension puts it, and grazing is part of how they find all of those. The poultry extension network notes that young, tender plants are a valuable source of nutrients for chickens, which is why a flock heads straight for fresh green shoots.

Washington State University master gardeners go further and suggest an eco-lawn, a mix of grass and broadleaf plants or weeds that needs less maintenance and less herbicide and gives birds somewhere to forage. They describe how desperately chickens love greens when a small patch of grass is exposed from under the snow, and how the flock congregates there until it is picked clean.

Never feed sprayed lawn clippings

The clear warning from extension is about chemicals, not grass. The poultry extension network says: do not feed grass clippings from lawns if pesticides have been recently applied. That includes weed-and-feed products and treatments a neighbor or lawn service may have applied without you knowing, so ask before using clippings from anywhere but your own untreated lawn.

Clippings also spoil quickly once piled, heating up and going slimy in a day or two. The poultry extension network warns that rotting scraps can lead to botulism, and Texas A&M AgriLife says moldy and spoiled food can make chickens sick. Offer only fresh clippings, scattered thinly, and rake up what the flock leaves rather than letting it rot in the run.

Grazing safely: grit and the yard

Grass and other forage have to be ground up in the gizzard, because chickens have no teeth. UC Davis explains that grit in the gizzard does that job, and that only birds eating nothing but a highly digestible pelleted feed can do without it. UF/IFAS Extension recommends providing a small dish of poultry grit to support digestion, which matters for any flock that grazes.

Check the yard for hazards before letting birds out. Washington State University master gardeners note that poisonous plants are rarely an issue in a lush, well-designed yard, because birds pass over them for something more desirable, but that hungry, bored birds with no other options are the ones that risk nibbling dangerous plants. Keep the run green and the birds fed.

How much grazing is too much?

Free-ranging on grass is natural, but it does not replace a balanced feed. University of Minnesota Extension says chickens should be fed a prepared feed balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein, and UC Davis warns that scraps and extras are not balanced and can cause nutritional disorders if they displace too much of the main diet.

For clippings or cut greens brought to the run, the poultry extension network suggests offering no more than the flock can finish in about 20 minutes, and it warns that excessive greens can adversely affect egg production. UF/IFAS Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife both say treats should stay under 10% of the diet. Keep layer feed available all day, even for birds that roam.

Treats go further scattered in a chicken run than piled in a dish, and a proper feeder keeps their complete feed, which should be most of what they eat, clean and dry.

Grass and chicks

Young chicks need their starter feed first. UC Davis recommends a chick starter of about 20% protein for the first six weeks, and UF/IFAS Extension notes that baby chicks need a higher-protein starter to support growth. Greens dilute that protein, so a few minutes outside is a treat, not part of their nutrition.

If you let older chicks onto grass, make sure chick grit is available, which UC Davis says can be added after the first week for birds not eating only pelleted feed. Choose a short, untreated patch, watch them closely for predators, and bring them back to the brooder or coop with plenty of starter and water.

Signs of trouble, when to call a vet, and other greens

Texas A&M AgriLife describes a sick chicken as one that holds her head low, looks fluffed out, is lethargic, has no appetite, loses weight or limps. Any bird showing those signs after grazing a treated lawn or eating spoiled clippings should be seen by a vet who treats poultry the same day, and if you know what product was applied, bring the label.

When grass is dormant or the run is bare, Washington State University master gardeners suggest offering greens such as lettuce, cabbage or wheatgrass instead. Keep tomato, pepper, potato and eggplant leaves, rhubarb, onions and avocado away from the flock, since UC Davis and Texas A&M list them as foods to avoid.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace advice from a veterinarian who treats poultry.