Chicken POOP management for free range?

[Feather Fluff]

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This is what we use for sand and it's awesome. But it is not going to work for grass. Also, in the desert heat the poop on the grass is attracting flies.

 

[Boise-girls]

Can you please explain this process? Maybe it's straight forward but I might be missing something. No, it isn't much space imo to ignore it. With their sand area, about 120 sq ft, it's easy to pick up the poop with a rake sifter and it takes about 3 minutes. I put the picture. But, with wet grass? How exactly are you scraping? Do you just hunt down the poops in the grass?

You pl

Yes, that's exactly what I do. My grass isn't typically wet, though. We're pretty dry here, and I put just enough water in the chicken run to keep the grass alive. If I water, it's after I pick up the poop. Most of the poop is on the dry side after a bit of time in the sun. (It will probably be different in the winter!) They do seem to have favorite areas for hanging out (and pooping) so I'm usually not picking up every square inch.

 

[Sunshine Ruth]

Can you please explain this process? Maybe it's straight forward but I might be missing something. No, it isn't much space imo to ignore it. With their sand area, about 120 sq ft, it's easy to pick up the poop with a rake sifter and it takes about 3 minutes. I put the picture. But, with wet grass? How exactly are you scraping? Do you just hunt down the poops in the grass?

You pl

Hi This is Sushine in Johannesburg SA. I have 4 silkies plus 4 hiline layers I am worried because the hilines poop has become black and wet, instead of being firm half white with seperate black. They free range in the garden from 3pm till they take themselves to bed. poop is now too messy to pick up, they love fresh grass, spinach and some kitchen waste.
I think the fowl food is Genetically modified because they dont like it and I cannot find where to purhase NON GM grain. Anyone please advise

 

[Earthdale]

My yard always turns into a mud pit and I have to constantly add straw to build it up, unless they are free-ranging on the whole acre.

 

[Saveria]

We put down wood shavings if there is a lot of poop, but our chickens torn out all the grass around the coop years ago. Maybe you will cover the grass too much?

 

[B_o]

Ok people! I love this community and it has saved me many times in my newbie ways so I'm here with a question again. Our flock is 5 silkie free range hens.

They are in coop and run about 12 hours a day and free range throughout the day in the yard (grass). We live in the desert so the grass gets watered 2x a day due to dryness.

How in the world do you manage poop in grass? Is there a special secret? There's 700sqft grass

Sometimes if my chickens poop in the grass and it dries up i just use my dog’s pooper scooper so that could work.

 

[Feather Fluff]

Thank you friends! To everyone that has had success with a yard and chickens YOU'RE MY HERO!

After nearly a year of poop battles, I confined them to a dirt run they have access to all day 7am-7pm. They have a second run w/coop w/ wood shaving nesting boxes they have access to 24/7. It's about 300 sq feet not counting the coop.They have yard access 1 day a week when I clean their area. I've experimented with plants that chickens "won't eat" so they had some vegetation inside their run but

They. Ate. Everything. - rosemary, mint, catnip, lemon grass, basil, lemon eucalyptus, actual eucalyptus that started to grow as a tiny tree (now dead), cape plumbago, grass, weeds, and bamboo... still looking at maybe putting a pygmy palm (one thing they didn't eat) so they can have vegetation in their dirt run. They're well fed and have grain, scratch, oystershell in the PVC feeders and healthy treats they love hand fed by a toddler daily but... they eat the plants and my yard. I don't know why they're natural foragers I suppose. The photos are of their little area though they had yard access today. One pic is older than the other but not too much has changed in between photos.

I tried so hard to have them roam the yard but the yard was a poopy mess and the grass was disappearing along with every plant I had. Next home we move I'll design a yard with chickens in mind instead of adding chickens to an existing yard.

 

[Coops Dad]

My chickens love eating grass and other greens. We're in the beginning of wild raspberry season and they're beating me to the ripe berries. It's also the start of bug season here in Texas and the chickens start their day gathering all the June bugs and other stuff from beneath the porch lights just after dawn. Then they go on grasshopper patrol in the yard and pastures until it gets hot. They use a lot less feed between now and fall.

I gave up on the poop battle and just hose it off the porch and walk every few days. We get enough rain here so the yard poop washes in.

I have two dogs who gather "chicken treats" when I'm not looking. Someone should package them and sell them as irresistible dog snacks.

 

[Earthdale]

That's funny I was the opposite I tried having them in a run and the ripped it up now I let them out and it's fine.

 

[RiverOtter]

To get some vegetation in their run, build a simple frame of 2x4s or 2x6s. Cover one side tightly with chicken wire and place it in the run, wire side up. If it's on ground chickens have already destroyed, put an inch of topsoil inside. Seed it with whatever you like, grass, oats, millet or just whatever weeds volunteer. Chickens will be able to eat whatever grows through, but won't be able to scratch up the roots and destroy it