Grass nearly all gone, now what?

[My Three Chicks]

I can't let my chickens free range due to heavy aerial predation. My chickens are confined to their bird netting covered chicken run. But I bring the free range to the birds in the run. I dump all my grass clippings in the run along with just about anything else organic like weeds from the garden, leaves, etc... They seem to be happy with that compromise. It keeps them safe. In your case, at least you would be able to let your backyard grass grow again so you also could enjoy it. Cutting the grass and saving the clippings for the birds works for me. Same for leaves. My chickens love to play in the leaves I dump in the run in the fall. Chickens don't need to free range to be happy and have a good life.

In any case, once your grass is reestablished, maybe you could cut back your chickens' free ranging time to maybe just an hour or so before you put them to bed for the night. You should be able to find a balance where the lawn and the chickens can work out. You have a nice backyard, it's too bad that it's all dirt right now. But that can be fixed. Hope you work it out.

Thanks for the input. Yeah I'm new to chickens. This flock of 4 are my first and they hatched last April. So I'm figuring out how to balance everything for the first time. I like your idea though!

 

[My Three Chicks]

I have a ramshackled little net pen divided into two sections about 60 square feet each.. I put a hen and four chicks in one side yesterday. It had a small stands of pearl millet, proso millet and buckwheat.

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Here's what it looked like 24 hours later.

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They're starting to excavate now so it will all be gone by tomorrow.

First their pen looks like a fun set up for them! Who knew they were little garden monsters!

 

[My Three Chicks]

My husband said he didn't want the chickens tearing up our backyard anymore so he built them a chicken yard next to their run. It is 570sqft, I planted a coyote trees(still have a lot of growing to do) and I'll be adding a few more things. They have access to it after I get home from work and on the weekends. If it gets sad looking I'll keep them out, reseed, and resume after it fills back in.

Wow thats terrific. Lucky birds. The run looks great! (And your pup is adorable too

 

[Rangergord]

Chickens ability to kill grass rates as the number two reason after eggs for keeping chickens for me. I use a tractor for 4 hens to control their grazing. I move the the tractor through my garden and orchard. The growth of vegetables and fruit trees are greatly benefited by the elimination of the grass and perennial weeds. From my point of view there are only one real solution. Movable tractor or paddock fencing and /or plant something better than grass or add litter to the run to build up and protect the soil.

 

[chickencoop57]

Hmm, interesting and funny! I've been raising chickens for 3 1/2 years and in the first 3 weeks or less, they ate all the grass in the run and now it's all dirt, and that's the way it's been ever since. They apparently don't miss it. However, we do throw scraps to them from time to time and yes, the wife will sometimes throw loose grass to them when she's working in the yard or some hay but other than that, we've never had a problem with them wanting grass. Sure, they like it but they like everything. My wife calls them 'Piranhas', and I have 20 of them. That's another reason I don't let them loose in my garden. I've heard people say let them run loose in the garden they'll eat all the bugs, yeah right, and all your plants, too! You have a nice yard which would a lot better with grass! That's just my 2 cents on the matter.

 

[My Three Chicks]

Okay, here’s two examples… but search “chicken grazing boxes” on Pinterest and they will pop right up!

These are great! I'd love to try making one. But my run is covered so it doesn't get much sunlight so I'm not sure how great it will grow. But I love the idea. Thanks for sharing!

 

[My Three Chicks]

I fought this battle till I realized the grass wouldn't win and my yard would be bare. So for all to enjoy and share(I also have 4 dogs) I sectioned off a corner for my girls and give them a big salad every day for their greens. I also have galvanized troughs to plant greens for them but will put chicken wire on top so they can’t scratch up the roots. They seem quite pleased w this arrangement. All is peaceful once again and I have grass. Enjoy your girls!
GretaGarbo

That sounds like a great set up! I have just 1 dog. He's still has a little grass to enjoy too.

 

[Carolminifarm]

I have had 4 girls since April 2021. I love them dearly. They have a 9'x24' attached run (which has mulch flooring) but spend at least half the day in my suburban backyard. I used to have lush grass but now it's nearly destroyed from their pecking/eating and scratching! I'd love to be able to grow more grass/ground cover so they can have that entertainment and they just love to eat it too (I also grow fodder for them in addition to layer feed). My grass area is only about 12'x25'.

Any suggestions?

Do I maybe fence off half to regrow grass then give them that half and regrow the other? Or is it a losing cause.
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Leave in pen while grass recovers. Think of all the bugs you don't have now. Lol

 

[bothfeetnumb]

I bought two strips of turf from Home Depot and threw them out on top of the old lawn. I didn’t do any prep but thought I’d just watch how it goes. How long it takes the 4 of them to tear it up (if they do). I will gauge for my next decision on those results.

 

[gtaus]

Yeah I had gotten the largest run I could thinking I would keep them in there full time. But it didn’t work out that way because they love running around the yard and it makes them so happy…Yes they are spoiled!
They are out in the full backyard about 4-5 hours Mon - Fri. Then pretty much all day on the weekend.

I can't let my chickens free range due to heavy aerial predation. My chickens are confined to their bird netting covered chicken run. But I bring the free range to the birds in the run. I dump all my grass clippings in the run along with just about anything else organic like weeds from the garden, leaves, etc... They seem to be happy with that compromise. It keeps them safe. In your case, at least you would be able to let your backyard grass grow again so you also could enjoy it. Cutting the grass and saving the clippings for the birds works for me. Same for leaves. My chickens love to play in the leaves I dump in the run in the fall. Chickens don't need to free range to be happy and have a good life.

In any case, once your grass is reestablished, maybe you could cut back your chickens' free ranging time to maybe just an hour or so before you put them to bed for the night. You should be able to find a balance where the lawn and the chickens can work out. You have a nice backyard, it's too bad that it's all dirt right now. But that can be fixed. Hope you work it out.