I've been looking for this information and here it is all in one spot Thanks for posting this!
Also, to keep my backyard from turning into a mud pit, I periodically pick up their poo 2-3 times a week. I only have 7 girls so it's manageable. There are several benefits to this:
Yard does not turn into a dirt pile. If you just leave the poo in the yard, inevitably, the acidic poo will burn the grass and create a new potential hole in the lawn so one way or another its gotta come up.
Collect the poo and create compost with it. If you're also a gardener, this is an excellent opportunity to make your own gold standard compost. I have a 55 gallon drum that I put the poo in after I collect it. I add other yard waste to the same bin and just let nature do it's thing. After it fills up, I let it sit and within a few months I have amazing compost I add back to my garden.
You don't need to mow your grass nearly as often. This surprised me. Here it is, June 1st and yesterday was the first time I've mowed my backyard all year. Meanwhile my neighbors have been at it once a week for a couple months now. The girls naturally keep the lawn at a good length just by doing their thing. The clippings that I did cut were collected and added into my composter.
Tip: Collect your coffee grinds as well and use a lawn spreader to naturally fertilize the grass so that it grows a bit fuller and quicker. It's safe for the chickens and will add beneficial additives your soil.
