Grass as much as Hay....

[Storm1974]

Is it ok to go out to my garden (It's been too wet for the boys to go out!) a couple/few times a day to get bits of grass for them to eat, to give them something a 'little' different to eating hay, in between their two smallish veggie meals? I know grass is just a wetter, more nutrient filled, form of hay, but I did read somewhere that it contains more sugars and carbs than hay, and also, what about the calcium/oxylate levels in fresh grass, is it more compared to hay? I also pick plantain and yarrow leaves for them and give them a few a day, and a few small dandelion leaves (Don't give them too many of these because of the calcium & oxylate levels in them).

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes it is absolutely fine to go and pick them grass to give to them - as much as they are used to. In fact it would be the recommended thing to do to prepare their tummies for any time on the grass (it has to be done every year after a winter off of grass).

Please dont worry about calcium, sugars etc content of grass - it is their natural food - feed it to them and let them enjoy it!
(mine are on the lawn up to 14 hours a day at the height of summer!)

You are only watching calcium levels in pellets and water really. That is where most calcium comes into the diet. While you do need to be careful with feeding other higher calcium veg such as kale and parsley, the reality is that it comes down to a balance. For example, I hardly feed any pellets (only a few times a week and not even a tablespoon at a time) so I dont tend to worry if I do give parsley or kale to mine.

 

[Storm1974]

Yes it is absolutely fine to go and pick them grass to give to them - as much as they are used to. In fact it would be the recommended thing to do to prepare their tummies for any time on the grass (it has to be done every year after a winter off of grass).

Please dont worry about calcium, sugars etc content of grass - it is their natural food - feed it to them and let them enjoy it!
(mine are on the lawn up to 14 hours a day at the height of summer!)

You are only watching calcium levels in pellets and water really. That is where most calcium comes into the diet. While you do need to be careful with feeding other higher calcium veg such as kale and parsley, the reality is that it comes down to a balance. For example, I hardly feed any pellets (only a few times a week and not even a tablespoon at a time) so I dont tend to worry if I do give parsley or kale to mine.

Brilliant, thanks, have just gone and picked them a huge handful of grass that they are very much enjoying!