Building on a hill

[midget_farms]

Quote:
Not true! You can have your grass & they can eat it too!

The key point is you don't want erosion - If you cover the ground of your run with chicken wire - maybe 2 layers off set by 1/2 inch so the holes don't line up the chickens won't be able to scratch up the roots of the grass. It should be enough to save the grass & prevent erosion.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Midget_farms, is this something you have actually had running for a few years now (I would love to see pics) or is this just an *idea*. I am highly skeptical, although I would certainly be pleasantly surprised to see pics of it in longterm action. Scratching is not the major cause of chickens-killing-grass -- eating and pooing are larger contributors, and ruining the chickens' scratching fun with chcikenwire is not going to do one bit at all to prevent THOSE problems.

Pat

 

[CrackyMcZap]

If the slope is really gradual and you feel like putting in a lot of work, you could step terrace the run with keystone blocks or treated timbers (or concrete chunks or fieldstone or...) and have a couple levels of flat earth. Then you could fill in with sand or mulch or something to keep the mud down.