Grass for covering run

[Bryce Thomas]

Hello everyone, I am wanting to plant a grass type in my chicken run. They are happy with what they have, but the bare ground seems kind of depressing. I have centipede grass seeds but the girls never seem to do anything with the centipede grass.

I have thought about a plant called clover and some say it grows year round and can withstand a long drought. With our heat, I have misters that go every few days so any ground cover would be getting water about 2 times a week

Do you guys have any ideas of what to plant? Something for ground cover, not a herb or vegetable.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I COMPLETELY understand that frustration! But no matter what you put in there, the chickens will scratch it up eventually.

I suggest grazing boxes. They are wooden frames made of 2x4s that you cover with hardware cloth. In the boxes you grow grasses, herbs, shrubs, whatever. The chickens can't scratch them up. They can stand on the hardware cloth and eat the tops.

I plan to make some within the next couple of weeks. Let me see if my slow internet will allow me to post a link.

 

[Aunt Angus]

https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/diy-grazing-boxes/

 

[Bryce Thomas]

I COMPLETELY understand that frustration! But no matter what you put in there, the chickens will scratch it up eventually.

I suggest grazing boxes. They are wooden frames made of 2x4s that you cover with hardware cloth. In the boxes you grow grasses, herbs, shrubs, whatever. The chickens can't scratch them up. They can stand on the hardware cloth and eat the tops.

I plan to make some within the next couple of weeks. Let me see if my slow internet will allow me to post a link.

True but I'm not too sure if they will ever go that far, I now only own 2 small silkie hens and they eat mostly insects and feed from the feed store, when I put them in a grass pasture that has multiple grass variety's they peck a little and then go wander off

I dont want the entire run covered, its important that they have cover but can also dust bathe

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh - if you only have 2, I suggest you go to your local nursery and ask. All of the nurseries here carry seed blends specifically for chicken. Even TSC does.