Grass regrowth after chicken tractor moved

[tomgeist]

There are no chickens in my backyard because my wife hates the idea of having bare patches of ground where the chicken tractor sits. I've seen some YouTube videos of the bare spots where others had their tractor parked and I wonder; how quickly does the grass usually grow back and what is the long term damage to the owner's lawn?

 

[Alaskan]

If you only have a few chickens, and move it often enough, then the grass quickly regrows.


The problem is that:

- many chicken tractors are way too heavy to move easily, so aren't moved as often as they should be

- different times of the year have different grow rates. Just think to how often you mow, and how there are some times of the year when you never mow. The times of year that you never mow, the grass isn't growing, so the chickens will kill it. For those times, you want a gravel pad, or a "all grass may die in this spot" parking location for the coop. Only move the tractor around on the grass when you know the grass is growing.

 

[tomgeist]

We would have no more than 3 hens and the tractor would be lightweight with wheels so it could be moved around; but if we get a dry spell in summer (like we usually do) it doesn't matter where the tractor would be parked. The grass is going to turn brown and the cracks are going to open up in the ground. The soil has too much clay and it fires like pottery in a kiln.

 

[Alaskan]

Then you just need a cute parking spot where the tractor can sit when the grass isn't growing.


Paint it all pink, maybe then the wife will like it!

 

[tomgeist]

Uhhhhhh....she HATES pink. Maybe if it was purple...

 

[donrae]

Maybe a stationary coop and run would be better, that way you'd have one dedicated bare area for the chickens. Something to remember with tractoring on a lawn means you have poop all over the place. Maybe it would be easier for her if it was just a corner of the yard, or along the fence somewhere.