Best times to free range and keep your grass green

[jBabychickn]

Hi there!! — So nice to meet ya

We’re kinda in the same boat as you guys.. !!
With the Same size yard, with 8 ladies(and 1-Roo!), except we have a Smaller run and We have bantam chickens, 7 are Silkies, with 1 Black Cooper Maran(I just Love their Dark Brown eggs!). Our covered run is 9’x 9’ with an attached 3’x 9’ft extension, which leads down to their Coop.
We’re in Zone 6b; Eastern Kentucky. However, last year we were in Zone 7 as well, when we lived in Western Kentucky.

I so enjoy letting them roam around in our yard too!! They’re just so happy out there living their best life… just makes my Heart smile; I bet ya know just what I mean!

I have an exciting Tip for you! ~>
In the last 2yrs, I’ve used these seed mixes; you don’t need to till them into the ground! — Check out the Links I have at the end of this post; Read about the No Till Forage Friendly Cover Crop Mix!!
They’ve saved my Chicken yard..

As you read, don’t let this talk of “killing the crop” confuse you. That step is to get the nutrients down deep into the soil for healing soil that’s been over-worked, to replace all those nutrients taken away. That step doesn’t really pertain to what we’re doing; we want the chickens to forage on the crop.

You’ll love knowing the Chickens are foraging on some good stuff!! = I mean, there’s radish in there.. brown flax, turnip, millet, etc..
— Oh! This reminds me! You gotta get them some Miniature Clover as well. Holy cow, they will LOVE this stuff too…



LINKS BELOW

Mini Clover
No Till Cover Mix

Plz Keep in touch! — If you decide to use any of the mixes, I’d really love to see how you’re doing with them…
— Johnna

 

[Penpal]

Since this post is active again, I'll just say that I pastured my sheep and donkeys on my lawn. Front, back, side. The down side is the lawn is really well fertilized and I have to mow more, now that I don't have the big livestock.

Next time you don't get rain, go out and water around the tree. It not only will give needed water to the grass, it will cool down the area. I also like the fence idea in addition to the water. Throw down a little seed. The seed could be grass, but oats will also grow nicely. I get a lot of volunteer oat grass because I feed whole grain. Oats are annual, but they fill in the grass nicely.

 

[jBabychickn]

Since this post is active again, I'll just say that I pastured my sheep and donkeys on my lawn. Front, back, side. The down side is the lawn is really well fertilized and I have to mow more, now that I don't have the big livestock.

Next time you don't get rain, go out and water around the tree. It not only will give needed water to the grass, it will cool down the area. I also like the fence idea in addition to the water. Throw down a little seed. The seed could be grass, but oats will also grow nicely. I get a lot of volunteer oat grass because I feed whole grain. Oats are annual, but they fill in the grass nicely.

Exactly! — The No Till seed mix I use has Oats in there as well as Millet, Brown flax, Radish, Turnip… just so much good stuff for foraging chickens !

 

[tori729]

Exactly! — The No Till seed mix I use has Oats in there as well as Millet, Brown flax, Radish, Turnip… just so much good stuff for foraging chickens !

So how would this work and when would you plant it?
Also, we really don't have much full sun in our backyard - the areas that could use some extra seed/grass are the areas where moss usually grows b/c it doesn't get as much sun.

 

[Victoria Peckham]

Hi there!! — So nice to meet ya

We’re kinda in the same boat as you guys.. !!
With the Same size yard, with 8 ladies(and 1-Roo!), except we have a Smaller run and We have bantam chickens, 7 are Silkies, with 1 Black Cooper Maran(I just Love their Dark Brown eggs!). Our covered run is 9’x 9’ with an attached 3’x 9’ft extension, which leads down to their Coop.
We’re in Zone 6b; Eastern Kentucky. However, last year we were in Zone 7 as well, when we lived in Western Kentucky.

I so enjoy letting them roam around in our yard too!! They’re just so happy out there living their best life… just makes my Heart smile; I bet ya know just what I mean!

I have an exciting Tip for you! ~>
In the last 2yrs, I’ve used these seed mixes; you don’t need to till them into the ground! — Check out the Links I have at the end of this post; Read about the No Till Forage Friendly Cover Crop Mix!!
They’ve saved my Chicken yard..

As you read, don’t let this talk of “killing the crop” confuse you. That step is to get the nutrients down deep into the soil for healing soil that’s been over-worked, to replace all those nutrients taken away. That step doesn’t really pertain to what we’re doing; we want the chickens to forage on the crop.

You’ll love knowing the Chickens are foraging on some good stuff!! = I mean, there’s radish in there.. brown flax, turnip, millet, etc..
— Oh! This reminds me! You gotta get them some Miniature Clover as well. Holy cow, they will LOVE this stuff too…



LINKS BELOW

Mini Clover
No Till Cover Mix

Plz Keep in touch! — If you decide to use any of the mixes, I’d really love to see how you’re doing with them…
— Johnna

Thank you so much for this recommendation! In addition to needing it for our chicken area, we have a very large hell strip, aka parking strip, that has been neglected for decades. I know the neighbors are tired of looking at it. I’ve been wanting to see if some type of cover crop could rehab the dirt and I really don’t want to have to till all of it. Can’t wait to see what happens with these seeds!

 

[jBabychickn]

Thank you so much for this recommendation! In addition to needing it for our chicken area, we have a very large hell strip, aka parking strip, that has been neglected for decades. I know the neighbors are tired of looking at it. I’ve been wanting to see if some type of cover crop could rehab the dirt and I really don’t want to have to till all of it. Can’t wait to see what happens with these seeds!

I can’t wait to hear how it all goes!!!
Have fun! — My favorite is definitely the Miniature Clover; you don’t ever need to mow, unless you want a close cut, as it won’t grow taller than 4”

 

[jBabychickn]

So how would this work and when would you plant it?
Also, we really don't have much full sun in our backyard - the areas that could use some extra seed/grass are the areas where moss usually grows b/c it doesn't get as much sun.

I’m sooo sorry. I just saw this response.
I would look up your gardening Zone to see when it’s best to throw these Seeds down to grow. You can also search for seeds that don’t need full Sun. — Good luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

Another idea is to improve the interest in your run. Add clutter - such as pallets that birds can get under or on top of. Add ladders and roosts, add mini walls that birds can get behind. Add multiple feed stations, situated so that birds eating at one, is hidden by birds eating at another. Add a lot of old hay or mulch - old leaves and I mean a lot to the run. It lets them dig through it.

 

[jBabychickn]

Another idea is to improve the interest in your run. Add clutter - such as pallets that birds can get under or on top of. Add ladders and roosts, add mini walls that birds can get behind. Add multiple feed stations, situated so that birds eating at one, is hidden by birds eating at another. Add a lot of old hay or mulch - old leaves and I mean a lot to the run. It lets them dig through it.

This is really Great information and Ideas…

— I remember when you used to get Pallets for Free fairly easily; it seems like nowadays it’s getting harder & harder to find them available…

— Anyone else find this to be True as well?

 

[jBabychickn]

So how would this work and when would you plant it?
Also, we really don't have much full sun in our backyard - the areas that could use some extra seed/grass are the areas where moss usually grows b/c it doesn't get as much sun.

Hi @tori729 !!

I found this on Amazon. A friend used it in her shaded garden and it grew really well, better than anything else she’s tried. I thought I would share !!

———————
Hit List Seed Shade Blend Food Plot Mix, 6 lbs (1 Acre) - Germinates & Thrives in Low Sun Conditions - Clover, Forage Brassica, & Ryegrass

CLICK HERE <~