All cooped up! :(

[CluckCluck2]

My neighbor complained that the chickens are tearing up her landscaping so now I need to keep my free range birds cooped up. I'm planning on building a run for them. How long will it take for 13 chickens to kill the grass in an area 10 x 15? Will this confinment affect their egg laying? THey have a coop they go into at night so we are adding the run onto that. It's a bummer because I just ordered 10 more chicks too. We are giving away 5 Red Starts to reduce the flock and they chicks won't be ready to move into the coop for awhile anyway. I feel really bad for them having to be cooped now!

 

[thebanthams]

Chickens will get into anything ! grass wont last long . you will have to respect your neighbor and keep them fenced away from them. Sorry that you have to go through this !

 

[Queen Bee]

I feel sorry for you neighbor! . We have to be responsible animal owners... It will only take a few weeks for them to eat all the grass and dig up the roots. Confinement will affect their egg production , just as much as any change in their life. To prevent them from getting bored you will need get crafty with their treats.. Maybe others will share their thoughts. I throw premium birdseed out then cover it with leaves, I also feed them dried meal-worms, yogurt, cottage cheese, any leftover garden veggies and fruits..I have a suet cage that I stuff with cabbage and I pull up greens from the garden --roots, dirt and all .... They get a large bundle everyday as long as they last.. With my new coop I will have two runs for them. While they are eat/sratching in the one, the other will be growing... Good luck.

 

[Jenny1]

I have a couple ideas for you... could you buy the big plastic flat containers that you put under potted plants? Put dirt in them, and then drop in wheat seeds. The wheat sprouts in about 8 days... it would give them something green. You could just have several of these you rotate in and out of the run. Also, covered my run by threading chicken wire over a couple of pieces of pvc and then bending the pvc to form a "half pipe" It was really cheap, so maybe you could try something like that to get more space for your money.

Sounds like you had a pretty tolerant neighbor though... chickens are kinda destructive! Between digging, dustbathing, pooping, and eating your entire new tomato plant in 5 minutes....

 

[seramachick8]

Heres an idea.....CHICKEN TRACTOR They are perfect in this kind of situation...when the grass looks like its dying just move it to a new place and give the old grass a break! I had hawk and coyote problems for a long time and this was a good way to keep animals out and chickens in but still letting them have grass. Good luck!

 

[CluckCluck2]

Thanks all! Great ideas! We are going to build a chicken tractor. For now I have been giving them the pulp from the juice I make everyday. I have been letting them out for an hour befor they hit the hay, so they are getting some outside time. I gave 5 away yesterday sad to see them go. Hope to have the tractor built by next week. I'll post pics of the construction.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I have a couple ideas for you... could you buy the big plastic flat containers that you put under potted plants? Put dirt in them, and then drop in wheat seeds. The wheat sprouts in about 8 days... it would give them something green. You could just have several of these you rotate in and out of the run. Also, covered my run by threading chicken wire over a couple of pieces of pvc and then bending the pvc to form a "half pipe" It was really cheap, so maybe you could try something like that to get more space for your money.

Sounds like you had a pretty tolerant neighbor though... chickens are kinda destructive! Between digging, dustbathing, pooping, and eating your entire new tomato plant in 5 minutes....

This is a great idea. Here is a link with instructions and pictures of how to sprout lots of greens in a small space.

http://www.workdaychickenpictures.c...prouting_wheat_for_winter_chicken_greens.html

You can also consider farming your own mealworms if you don't already. cheap, easy and a great, healthy protein filled snack. They will have a harder time finding their own worms now.