Getting grass in the run - solutions?

[TJAnonymous]

No, have to dig out the old dead sod which becomes a thatch in July heat. Then prep the soil raking with metal rake prior to rolling new sod.

Yes, only 1 year did it keep growing but mostly we get July heatwave that kills everything Lol. It's all good, kinda used to it, keeps me in shape!

Maybe I missed something but wouldn't it be easier to run a sprinkler to keep it alive instead of resodding every year?

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Maybe I missed something but wouldn't it be easier to run a sprinkler to keep it alive instead of resodding every year?

Each pen accommodates a Roo & his hens. I have 10 Roos...10 sections, predator proof & mouse proof 1/2" wire totally enclosed pens. I really don't have a way to run hoses for 10 sprinklers & wouldn't have the water pressure from the well to sustain a steady flow to run through 200 feet of 10 different hoses.

I tried watering myself every night but I really don't have 2 free hours every night to stand there with a hose.

No way to run hose & sprinkers inside pens, I'd have to leave a door open, so with 4 foxes on mouse patrol...yeah, they'd love a chance for chicken dinner. Can't really get rid of foxes, they do a good mouse & rat patrol job, they've been here long before I moved here & when a few were relocated years ago by a neighbor, more just show up...sort of like groundhogs, ya never really get rid of them permanently, more just magically show up. I've actually got a good synergy going with the foxes...they keep my place rodent free. I have a friend with a rat issue 30 miles away...what those rats have done is unbelievable...chewed out walls in their barn! No, my foxes can stay, my chickens are safe.

I'm considering big chunk, natural bark mulch, may give that a shot this time, see how it goes...as far as sod, well it really isn't that bad, it's a good work out for me, I feel like I've worked out afterwards, and I like being active & toned, so it's a good way to not get flabby, Lol. My flock loves it, they hang with me & enjoy the bugs I rake up prepping for the sod. I guess I am a bit of a workaholic, I actually do enjoy projects that most others consider to be work.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Each pen accommodates a Roo & his hens. I have 10 Roos...10 sections, predator proof & mouse proof 1/2" wire totally enclosed pens. I really don't have a way to run hoses for 10 sprinklers & wouldn't have the water pressure from the well to sustain a steady flow to run through 200 feet of 10 different hoses.

I tried watering myself every night but I really don't have 2 free hours every night to stand there with a hose.

No way to run hose & sprinkers inside pens, I'd have to leave a door open, so with 4 foxes on mouse patrol...yeah, they'd love a chance for chicken dinner. Can't really get rid of foxes, they do a good mouse & rat patrol job, they've been here long before I moved here & when a few were relocated years ago by a neighbor, more just show up...sort of like groundhogs, ya never really get rid of them permanently, more just magically show up. I've actually got a good synergy going with the foxes...they keep my place rodent free. I have a friend with a rat issue 30 miles away...what those rats have done is unbelievable...chewed out walls in their barn! No, my foxes can stay, my chickens are safe.

I'm considering big chunk, natural bark mulch, may give that a shot this time, see how it goes...as far as sod, well it really isn't that bad, it's a good work out for me, I feel like I've worked out afterwards, and I like being active & toned, so it's a good way to not get flabby, Lol. My flock loves it, they hang with me & enjoy the bugs I rake up prepping for the sod. I guess I am a bit of a workaholic, I actually do enjoy projects that most others consider to be work.

No worries...I'm just trying to help. Any way you can set up a sprinkler from outside the pen and allow the water shoot through the fence? Maybe just do one pen a night. You can set up a timer on the hose pretty cheaply so it only runs for a specified period of time at a specified time of your choosing. So the only "effort" you'd have to undertake is to move the sprinkler from one location to another to do different pens on different days.

I know in my case I was going to run my sprinklers overnight so it doesn't interfere with the chickens ranging in the run during the day since they will be inside their coop at night.

Just a thought. Only you know what works for you....