Destroying my lawn

[Rooapalooza]

My chickens free range in larger and larger circles the older they get. When I used to keep 18 birds in a 50'x40' area most of the day, they ate everything until it was just dirt. My 'lawn' is sticker burrs, weeds, and dry grass though. Once I started letting them out more the grass grew back better than before, and actually they got rid of all the sticker burrs! My chickens have a designated dust pile bathing area, but still choose to take baths in whatever random sunny spots they feel like, leaving chicken-shaped craters everywhere.

I'm not sure what would cause your birds to be more destructive than usual.

I agree with other people on here, one solution would be to cut them off from parts of your lawn. You could switch back and forth so that when their area gets a little barren, you move them into the grassier area. The poop is great for your lawn long term.

 

[Perris]

leaving chicken-shaped craters everywhere

oh yeh - here too! It's kinda cute.
My flock rotate areas worked, presumably moving on when the rewards are no longer worth the effort, and by the time they come back to a given area the bug life there has regenerated. I think chickens intuitively understand sustainable living.
Have you got borders with shrubs in? are they part of the fenced area? Mine spend much more time foraging in the shrubbery than on the grass, with the result that the grass is good and I don't have to weed the borders anymore (except for the occasional ivy tendril creeping in).

 

[aart]

Chickens dig and scratch. It's part of their nature.

True Dat!!

I understand but why is it that that digging and scratching went on hyperdrive after the two began laying two weeks ago ?

Who knows what goes on in their little chicken brains? Maybe the onset of laying has triggered a different dietary need that has further triggered their hunting and pecking instinct.

They definitely eat more and poop bigger after onset of lay....no more cute little pullet poops!

 

[Ponte]

They definitely eat more and poop bigger after onset of lay....no more cute little pullet poops!

No joke a few days ago I was collecting eggs and was shocked at the size of a poop just outside the nesting box, it had to be 3 x 5/8 inches.
Thought some animal had broken into the aviary during the night but the hardware cloth was intact.

 

[Cwestlake]

Chickens dig and scratch. It's part of their nature.

Yes! Chickens are diggers and can tear up a lawn in no time mine here digs like they are going to China!! Lol

 

[Kim95037]

I had two really nice huge patches of grass on both sides of my yard. My chickens destroyed both of them. They started on one edge and kept going until it was gone. Chickens are like miniature roto tillers. I had 4 or 5 different breeds, all heathy egg layers. I think that's just what chickens do. I really miss my grass. Someday maybe again I will have grass again but I will have to keep chickens off of it or only allow them on it a couple times a week for a very limited amount of time.

 

[ValerieJ]

I had two really nice huge patches of grass on both sides of my yard. My chickens destroyed both of them. They started on one edge and kept going until it was gone. Chickens are like miniature roto tillers. I had 4 or 5 different breeds, all heathy egg layers. I think that's just what chickens do. I really miss my grass. Someday maybe again I will have grass again but I will have to keep chickens off of it or only allow them on it a couple times a week for a very limited amount of time.

My chicken run is in our tiny orchard. The only ground cover has been forest plant and weeds. It really works! In the dead of winter, there is still a bunch of green stuff out there. But, space has a lot to do with it. My girls have a lot of that!!!

 

[Bob 1313]

We gave up on a lawn after we started letting them free range. We have 40+ acres, but they prefer the manicured areas. Doesn't seem to be diet related, they just love them grubs and other creepy crawlies. When I am out turning the compost piles, several stay right there waiting for me to uncover some of those tasty morsels, even stealing them from each other. Makes the task almost enjoyable.
Replaced our flower beds with 2" river rock, which they still manage to scatter all over the place.

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

Have had my chickens around 9 months. One began laying 10 weeks ago and two around 10 days ago. Two will hopefully begin laying in around one month.
The pullets are free ranging in an area approximately 90x45 feet.
Feed, all flock, is always available.
They have an area to dust bath.

Around ten days ago the pullets began tearing up the lawn, the lawn is now looking like Swiss cheese.

Is this behavior related to them laying eggs and needing more protein ? If so are they digging to get to worms, etc.
Will giving them more protein stop them from digging up the lawn ?

All chickens will decimate green areas (lawns). They need the greens to give color and flavor to their eggs, and they will make dirt bath areas and just scratch up dirt to look for insects. Your best bet is to fence off parts and rotate through. Welcome to raising chickens. LOL

 

[CindyinSD]

I use electric netting. It’s the least expensive, most versatile fencing. But right now my girls are hard at work killing the grass in my new greenhouse. It’s not going very fast because it’s dry in there. I keep the vents open. It’s also cold, and humidity + cold = frostbite. When the grass gets soggy it’s a lot easier to dig it up. Maybe the critters are better too. Only the chickens know for sure. I think though, that you’ll have better luck keeping your lawn if you only let the birds out when it’s dry.