Growing grass in the run with the girls there

[SandyK]

We just used chicken wire over the top. 2x6's for the sides.

 

[brwneggs]

I am thinking of doing this, I also have some old windown frames made up with that small square holed rabbitt fencing. I will cut that sharp twigs off the side and put them on the ground.
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[thotchkiss60]

Good morning!

I saw your post on the Backyard Chicken Forum and wanted to ask what you used to plan your grass boxes. Did you just use wood, fill it with dirt and grass seed? and it looks like you just covered the top with chicken wire? Did you put any of the chicken poo in the boxes to make the grass gorw faster?

I live in Phoenix and am looking to plantg a few of these boxes in my run. thanks!

 

[SandyK]

I didn't fill the wood frame with dirt, rather dug around in the dirt that would be directly under the frame. There wouldnt be anywhere for the grass to grow if the dirt was too high in the box. This also allows me to move the frame around and it won't rot either. You want a good few inches of grass left growing under the wire where they cant get to it so it will last longer.

Just have a new batch coming up in mine now. I did put some compost on top of the dirt before I dug around to get it ready for throwing some rye seed down. With the nice warm weather it was up in a week. They are enjoying it now.

I also grow lots of goodies in my garden for the girls. Every day they get something different between, collards, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage etc. so spoiled!!!!

 

[CAKOONTZ]

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Spoiled rotten chickens - LOVE IT

So do I. I love spoiling mine too. In the winter, it’s bags of collards.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I did have established wire grass survive chickens in the run. You could plant plugs in an isolated portion of the run and wait until it is established and then let them have it. It'll go brown and seem non existent in the winter time though.

 

[danepup]

Well, I tried the grass seed method- good luck!

Now what I do is periodically (every few days) I dig up a square of sod and dump it in the run, filling the hole with chicken poo. Later I take the sod after they eat the grass off it and put back into the hole to really cover it up.

They LOVE the fresh grass, delivered to them like a pizza on a table.

Hi - I just made a post about this - wondering if chickens would enjoy a piece of sod every now and then. I don't have access to dig one up, but I could probably procure a piece from one of the many stores we have around here. It sounds like they would enjoy that.