All dirt chicken pins

[sparklemaiden]

Im new to the chicken world and enjoying this adventure very much
We have 3 chickens and in our coop and have hay for bedding and on the floor
They free range in a pin which is about 30 by 30 ( may be a little larger ) This area was filled with grass however now its all dirt with added straw that i add once a week for them to scratch around in . I give them dried worms grass clippings and kitchen left overs.. I rake up once every 2 days to clean things up .... But was wondering do they need more than just the dirt ?

 

[HoneyDreameMom]

If you're giving them green things to eat, cleaning up regularly, and putting down straw, they should be fine. Chickens can be hard on grass, and although it would be nice to have large, lush pastures for them, many people don't have that kind of space. Just be sure they have somewhere dry to roost, and as the weather gets warmer, that there is some kind of shade for them to access during the day. Also, make sure you check fecals occasionally and deworm your chickens as needed. One of the biggest issues with not being able to rotate chicken runs is parasite control. Sounds like you're doing a great job keeping things clean, though!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I have a pen of 22' by 40' and believe it or not, I have vegetation growing inside. How do I do it? I throw out oat seeds to my chickens daily. More seeds than they could eat in a day. In fact, you can walk through and see the seeds nested among the spring greenery that is just starting to sprout up. I also throw in various yard weeds like clover and dandelions out to the chickens to keep them from getting bored and give them lots of scraps. I'd thought about putting grass seed in the mix that I toss every day but so far I've decided against it. The oats have served me well. I have a friend at work that is trying to convince her husband to use my method of throwing seed out but he doesn't believe that anything can grow in a run.

 

[sparklemaiden]

Thank you
they do have 2 large plum trees that offer shade on half of the pin and the other half is full sun... How often do i have to deworm ? Ive had them for about 7 months now and havent done that ?

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I give Apple Cider Vinegar about once every two weeks. I've never had anything that the vinegar couldn't take care of. As far as actual worming meds, I'd read the packaging.

 

[HoneyDreameMom]

Food grade diatomaceous earth can be added (in moderation) to chicken feed as another organic form of parasite control. Although in my opinion, it works best sprinkled on the chickens, the coop and/or the ground in areas the chickens dust bathe. It helps get rid of lice, mites, etc. Just make sure it says "food grade."

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Figured I'd share this pic since it shows my greenery that I'm growing in my run. Ignore the tarps in the pic. The week old chicks' run is behind it.

As you can see, the chickens keep it close to the ground but there is a LOT of grass, oats, and even chickory growing in the run.