Free ranging on the lawn

[missmychicks]

We have a large lawn that I would like to let the ladies free range on ( in a small tractor, our flock will only be a few birds). Never had a lawn before, their poop is good for it, right? And they will help it by aerating as they search for bugs? I know how destructive their scratching can be- how long could I leave a tractor in place (I'm thinking an hour or two?) for the benefits mentioned above without them tearing the lawn to pieces- or is this even realistic? TYIA, and Happy New Year!

 

[nuthatched]

You can move it every other day, not sure on aerating but chicken poop can burn plants if it's not composted. It's powerful stuff

 

[EEforMe]

If you move it frequently enough (every one or two days) they won’t reck your lawn. But trust me, not longer than that or you get a brown spot. They do eat bugs but they also eat the grass itself and scratch up little circles everywhere. You kind of have to choose between nice lawn and free range chickens

 

[EEforMe]

Also it all depends on the size of your yard and the size of your tractor. If you could give dimensions and the specific number of girls you have that would be helpful

 

[Perris]

We have a large lawn that I would like to let the ladies free range on ( in a small tractor, our flock will only be a few birds). Never had a lawn before, their poop is good for it, right? And they will help it by aerating as they search for bugs? I know how destructive their scratching can be- how long could I leave a tractor in place (I'm thinking an hour or two?) for the benefits mentioned above without them tearing the lawn to pieces- or is this even realistic? TYIA, and Happy New Year!

Yes their poop is good for the lawn, and they will scarify (rather than aerate) it searching for bugs, and they will eat a lot of grubs that otherwise might damage the lawn while they're at it.

Confinement to a small area is what destroys the grass; mine free range at will and no part of the lawn is grazed bare or scratched to destruction (save where they decide would be a nice spot for a dustbath ). But surely it is much nicer to see free chickens wandering around the lawn than to look at a wooden and wire structure with some shifting shapes inside which you have to move daily to avoid their overgrazing the little bit they can access?

 

[missmychicks]

Yes their poop is good for the lawn, and they will scarify (rather than aerate) it searching for bugs, and they will eat a lot of grubs that otherwise might damage the lawn while they're at it.

Confinement to a small area is what destroys the grass; mine free range at will and no part of the lawn is grazed bare or scratched to destruction (save where they decide would be a nice spot for a dustbath ). But surely it is much nicer to see free chickens wandering around the lawn than to look at a wooden and wire structure with some shifting shapes inside which you have to move daily to avoid their overgrazing the little bit they can access?

I would love to let them just be chickens, but we have a lot of predators (flying and otherwise) and not sure I could keep them safe without a tractor. But I am open to suggestions!

 

[KyCoop]

If you could be out with them for even an hour they would enjoy that. If you stay with them you can deter most predators. Notice I said most.
Be virulent and pay attention to whats going on around you (and the girls)
Train them to come to you with a treat cup so you can quickly get them in If you need to.
Free ranging gets easier with practice.
I can let my girls out while I'm outside doing things but I've trained myself to occasionally look up and count heads.
Plus they are a great "help". Ask Jenny the Delaware with a red stripe of red paint down her side.

 

[missmychicks]

If you could be out with them for even an hour they would enjoy that. If you stay with them you can deter most predators. Notice I said most.
Be virulent and pay attention to whats going on around you (and the girls)
Train them to come to you with a treat cup so you can quickly get them in If you need to.
Free ranging gets easier with practice.
I can let my girls out while I'm outside doing things but I've trained myself to occasionally look up and count heads.
Plus they are a great "help". Ask Jenny the Delaware with a red stripe of red paint down her side.

Lol! That was my initial plan, but I have read stories of people having their ladies plucked by a hawk when they were standing right next to them (?). PLus our yard isn't fenced and there are two neighborhood dogs that occasionally barrel through our property and I'm afraid they would snatch them before I could get to them.
Am I being paranoid?

 

[KyCoop]

Yes, I myself was clipped at the knees by a diving hawk! My girls where secure in their run and I was cleaning the coop at the time.
Is it possible to fence off an area the dogs can't run through?

 

[missmychicks]

Yes, I myself was clipped at the knees by a diving hawk! My girls where secure in their run and I was cleaning the coop at the time.
Is it possible to fence off an area the dogs can't run through?

Yikes! We've been trying to think of a way, but so far haven't come up with anything. It's on our list, but for now the garden and the chickens are priority (and then of course my husband is eyeballing boats, and riding lawnmowers, and...lol!).
And then even if we fence there are those darned "death from above" things...