free range vs nice yard

[Dan Davis]

We have had chickens for 8 years now, and have been allowing them to free range in our fenced yard almost the entire time.

Our yard has been on a steady decline since then, and now is at a point that I would consider the yard blighted, severely distressed.

For those who allow their flock to free range, how do you manage to keep that area pleasing to the eye?

Are those 2 ideas diametrically opposed?

 

[Lemon-Drop]

We have had chickens for 8 years now, and have been allowing them to free range in our fenced yard almost the entire time.

Our yard has been on a steady decline since then, and now is at a point that I would consider the yard blighted, severely distressed.

For those who allow their flock to free range, how do you manage to keep that area pleasing to the eye?

Are those 2 ideas diametrically opposed?

Hahah. Well... let’s just say that I think most people who free range has their yard pretty... dingy. At least that’s the case for me. I have the chickens in an enclosed run (750 sqft for 13 chickens) and then let them out for half the day. We try and do it everyday, but often it rains, so we don’t let them out when it rains. Anyway, I’m sure there are tips for this, I just don’t have any.

 

[Tonyroo]

We have had chickens for 8 years now, and have been allowing them to free range in our fenced yard almost the entire time.

Our yard has been on a steady decline since then, and now is at a point that I would consider the yard blighted, severely distressed.

For those who allow their flock to free range, how do you manage to keep that area pleasing to the eye?

Are those 2 ideas diametrically opposed?

Lol I free ranging my chickens and they turned it into baron wasted land. But there my 1st priority, garden is 2nd. I did block them from an area so I can grow somethings this year.
Oh and also I tore there run down last year so they can do whatever. They been pretty happy so far. They come and go on there own.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Even with "restricted" free range time mine manage to make a hot mess of my yard. By "restricted" I mean just 2 full days a week out of the run.

 

[chickentrains]

yeah my yard is a mess couldn't tell ya

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Not Impossible! Difficult... a little.

You can't plan a picture perfect garden and yard and expect the chickens to abide by the rules you set in place, our chickens cut their own pathes, dig in exposed dirt, scratch for bugs and worms, and poop where they please. (sometimes also laying eggs where they please!) This is how we've done it for the past years-

1. Make Sure Nothing Is Poisonous. For the most part, chickens probably won't eat anything thats bad for them, I don't know why they seem to avoid that stuff, but not planting them will guarantee you'll have no dumb bird eating something they shouldn't!!

2. Designated Chicken Areas. We found that the ladies like a dry, soil area for dust bathes. We also found that once their holes got quite deep, they'd find a new spot in the garden and dig a hole, so we made a small covered area and refill it with a shovel or two of dirt into their bath holes every month or so. They keep using it and enjoying the dry, covered, sunny spot, and we don't have random ditches in the garden beds!

3. Anything YOU want to Eat, they also want to eat. We had to build a HUGE cage around our Raspberries, Blueberries and Strawberries and even then the ladies get in. If you're growing a lot of food for yourself, you're probably going to have to make it chicken proof.

Try not to plant over their paths, they'll just make new ones. We literally put a hole in our garden fence so they could easily walk through so they would stop messing up everywhere else trying to get over the 3' fence! It's worked nicely and their path is small and contained : D

Our yard is a quarter acre or so, and we only really have 12-20 chickens at any given time, getting free full range of the yard every day. The garden (where the coop is) is a little messy, but the main yard with the grass and flowerbeds and such stays fairly good. Here in WA the rains generally wash the poop away in the main yard, and the chickens enjoy a nice grass salad.

 

[Dan Davis]

This is what I expected, polar opposites. Thank you!

 

[CluckerFamily]

Most of my yard is perennials so it hides a lot of the ground they scratch around. I sprinkle grass seed done when there is still snow in the ground but it is starting the melt, this allows the grass to grow a little before the flock is allowed to free range.

 

[Isadora]

We have had chickens for 8 years now, and have been allowing them to free range in our fenced yard almost the entire time.

Our yard has been on a steady decline since then, and now is at a point that I would consider the yard blighted, severely distressed.

For those who allow their flock to free range, how do you manage to keep that area pleasing to the eye?

Are those 2 ideas diametrically opposed?

My husband has a friend who recently added chickens to their yard last year. His wife is particular, and when the hens destroyed the grass she had him buy new sod and put it down! As if that's going to last