/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Are chickens bad for the grass?

Discussion in 'Feeding & Watering Your Flock' started by Threelittlehens, Mar 25, 2012.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Mar 25, 2012 #1
    Threelittlehens

    Threelittlehens New Egg

    4
    0
    7
    Mar 25, 2012
    Colorado
    I put my chickens in their run on the grass yesterday and the day before. Now there's a huge brown patch where the run was. I think they ate all the grass! Will it grow back, and is it safe to put my chickens on the grass again?
     
  3. Mar 25, 2012 #2
    centrarchid

    centrarchid Chicken Obsessed

    17,450
    2,073
    456
    Sep 19, 2009
    Holts Summit, Missouri
    Safe for chickens yes. With birds confined to a run, I move run frequently, sometimes daily to protect grass from digging and over grazing. Grass can be killed and new plant community may not be desired.
     
  5. Mar 25, 2012 #3
    bird boy

    bird boy Out Of The Brooder

    50
    0
    29
    Mar 1, 2012
    If your chickens have not dug up the roots and all the grass should grow back. If you move the run everyday the chickens will eat what they need and in return deposit fertilizer. The grass should grow back shortly. If left to long in one area the chickens can desimate the vegetation and you will have to re-seed or re-sod. The grass is so good for the birds though.
     
  7. Mar 26, 2012 #4
    BellevueOmlet

    BellevueOmlet Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,466
    23
    171
    Jul 10, 2010
    Chickens are good at destroying everything in their path. If you confine them to a section of your yard, garden, anything that grows - they will, eat, dig, and destroy it. They look cute doing it but the area will look pretty bad afterward.
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by