Growing Grass in the Run

[jthornton]

If your "Run" is big enough, you'll still have grass anyway. Just cut mine yesterday.

Not big enough to sustain 10 chickens pecking at it daily.
JT

 

[jthornton]

Run this IDEA . It is not mine in origin BTW. Plant whatever. Grass/fodder/herbs/etc. Cover with a frame made of 2 x 4 wood. On top of frame, staple 1/2 inch or slightly larger hardware cloth. When greens grow thru the screened protection, chickens consume the plants. They do not finish off the plant by eating roots and all. Scratching is also prevented from destroying the plant as well.

Thanks for this idea, I'll use it in conjunction with the greenhouse for starting the grass.

JT

 

[JackE]

24 birds(Sometimes a few more, sometimes a few less), surrounded by 650' of electrified poultry net, over 6yrs, and there's plenty of grass. They haven't even killed the grass right around their coop.

 

[sourland]

@cavemanrich , came up with the suggestion that I was going to make.

 

[jthornton]

24 birds(Sometimes a few more, sometimes a few less), surrounded by 650' of electrified poultry net, over 6yrs, and there's plenty of grass. They haven't even killed the grass right around their coop.

Sounds a bit like bragging... 100' of fence plus some of the house walls and 10 birds and grass is almost gone, but the size of my chicken yard has nothing to do with the topic of this thread I think.

JT

 

[Freisian]

Impossible you say, the chickens will eat it before it grows.

Not if you put a grass sized greenhouse over it.

I was messing around trying to keep moisture in some new grass I was growing on a tray and put an old tubby over the grass... when I moved it to the chicken yard I just put the cover back over it. Now I have some more areas started right in the chicken yard. Picked up some low tubbies from wally to start some new grass.

JT

Brilliant idea!

 

[Sunny-Side Up]

I have another way so that my chickens can eat the grass but not completely kill it. I call it a grass box (really creative name, huh?). I just mailed long process of 2x4s together, then put wire over it. Then I planted grass underneath. Once it grew up through the wire, my chickens walked in top of the wire and ate the tops, but the wire stopped them from killing it.

 

[jthornton]

I have another way so that my chickens can eat the grass but not completely kill it. I call it a grass box (really creative name, huh?). I just mailed long process of 2x4s together, then put wire over it. Then I planted grass underneath. Once it grew up through the wire, my chickens walked in top of the wire and ate the tops, but the wire stopped them from killing it.

I love that idea, what kind of mesh is that? Looks plastic maybe. I'll be using that idea for sure.

JT

 

[Elyrian1]

Looks like the corner wire mesh they used in the walls of the house we're in. (plaster walls) Love the idea, hate that material, got scratched up good demoing it. I would go with the 1/4" hardware cloth. Brilliant ideas here, pity its winter and we've got snow on the ground. I'll tuck this one away for a sunny day, lol. Hmm, a the time of set up I had about 15 chickens in a 432 sq ft run. They turned it to dirt in two weeks. Very efficient, destructive little creatures. My larger side yard they've been keeping mowed down pretty good as well. Maybe 2200 sq ft combined.

 

[JackE]

Sounds a bit like bragging... 100' of fence plus some of the house walls and 10 birds and grass is almost gone, but the size of my chicken yard has nothing to do with the topic of this thread I think.


Not bragging, just details of my setup, that leads to having live grass in the "run". And, the size of the chicken yard has EVERYTHING to do with the topic. (Having grass in the run)