My main concern isn't protecting the grass, it's ensuring healthy conditions for my chickens to live in. I can always purchase additional turf or cordon off an area to re-seed if needed in the spring. The run was never intended for them to live in but as an area to get out of inclement weather...
We have part of your yard fenced for our chickens to give them the ability to 'free range' outside of their run. We let them roam in the yard every day and didn't have an issue with wet or muddy ground during the fall and summer because it was pretty dried out from the hot months.
This is our...