Do chickens ruin a grass run?

[Going Quackers]

I do have my chicks out and have so for a few weeks but it's temporary, eventually when the ducklings wean i will likely be using my duck pen now it has zero grass, it's all dirt.. do chickens ruin the grass floor like a duck? they are on grass right now netted in area but i am not seeing much grass damage.

Basically, what i am thinking is re-sodding the duck run for the chickens but if they just ruin well, not much point lol

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

How big is the run and how many birds?

If it is too small for your birds they will destroy it in no time, but if you have a very large area so that they are never on one spot too long it might take longer. If you want to give them some grass you might want to try growing fodder and giving them mats of that every once in awhile. That way they will have fresh grass but can have more whenever the destroy it.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Chickens do ruin a grass floor, but not quite as bad as ducks. I don't see a point in re-sodding the duck run, they will have it destroyed sooner or later.

 

[Heat]

Give them time, the grass will soon be gone. They like to scratch the ground and eat grass. I have been tossing hay and alfalfa in the run for them to spread around and eat.. it has saved what little green there was on the ground. It also seems to make nice material for grubs and worms (which the chickens LOVE)

I'd save the re-sodding for a chicken free area

 

[Calomel]

Chickens will destroy any and all grass inside their run. They will dig and scratch up the roots, given enough time and confinement to one area. Free ranging chickens don't do as much damage because they graze, picking at the grass tips here and there. But if you plan to confine them to a run, expect the grass inside to disappear.

 

[Going Quackers]

Ok thanks.. the run is 7+FT by 10FT, their are 4 chickens .

Ideally, i'd love to free range but i have 17 ducks some are drakes so that is a no-go so they will have be netted or penned for their safety.

 

[Going Quackers]

Give them time, the grass will soon be gone. They like to scratch the ground and eat grass. I have been tossing hay and alfalfa in the run for them to spread around and eat.. it has saved what little green there was on the ground. It also seems to make nice material for grubs and worms (which the chickens LOVE)

I'd save the re-sodding for a chicken free area

Hay? that would be easy enough I could just grab some from the horses (shhh) lol

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Ok thanks.. the run is 7+FT by 10FT, their are 4 chickens .

Ideally, i'd love to free range but i have 17 ducks some are drakes so that is a no-go so they will have be netted or penned for their safety.

Yeah, that would be to small for them to keep the grass. If it was more like 50 x 50 you might have a chance.

 

[Heat]

Hay? that would be easy enough I could just grab some from the horses (shhh) lol

The horses will never know

 

[Going Quackers]

Yeah, that would be to small for them to keep the grass. If it was more like 50 x 50 you might have a chance.

Ok good to know, it'll probably return without all the heavy ducks standing on it, just my duck is still taking her 9 babies in there atm so i am waiting .. she is free ranged but was housed at first with her brood in the pen for safety, so they have ruined all the grass that had grown back from last year.