Growing something in the run

[RenaeS]

So my chickens have a very large fenced in area. Half is fully covered on 3 sides with a roof where there is 2 coops. They have a chicken door to the other half which is a fenced run.
My issue is with the outside fenced area. It used to be pasture but they have decimated the grass so it's mainly dirt. I want to plant something to grow they can feed on. I will make the wood and wire covers so they do not decimate it again. But what should I plant? Obviously it's summer and anything I throw out there will need watered until fall. Ideas?

Ideas?

 

[Perris]

they only decimate the grass because there's too many birds in the space, and the same will happen to anything else you plant there that they can eat if you don't change things.

If you increase the amount of space they have access to, or reduce the numbers of birds, your grass will not only grow but grow better than it does without them, because they will scarify it, debug it, and feed it, just by living on it and looking for food in and on it.

 

[jpalmatier83]

So my chickens have a very large fenced in area. Half is fully covered on 3 sides with a roof where there is 2 coops. They have a chicken door to the other half which is a fenced run.
My issue is with the outside fenced area. It used to be pasture but they have decimated the grass so it's mainly dirt. I want to plant something to grow they can feed on. I will make the wood and wire covers so they do not decimate it again. But what should I plant? Obviously it's summer and anything I throw out there will need watered until fall. Ideas?

Ideas?

Decimate, meaning cut by 1/10th is the wrong word. Chickens will destroy, savage, and devestate anything in a fenced run.

If you want to give them some fodder, I would suggest radish sprouts, broccoli sprouts, wheat grass, something like that. They grow quickly and you can make patches for the birds by moving around the wood/wire cover.

Don’t expect anything to be hardy enough to survive the small, winged destroyers of vegetation.

 

[Perris]

vegetation does fine if you don't overstock

 

[jpalmatier83]

vegetation does fine if you don't overstock
View attachment 3573312

I made an assumption that OP was doing the “standard 10sq ft of run per bird” thing. In which case vegetation is usually an issue. A quick growing sprout would be nice fodder in that case.

I range my 9 over an acre and have no issues, so point conceded.

 

[Perris]

I made an assumption that OP was doing the “standard 10sq ft of run per bird” thing. In which case vegetation is usually an issue. A quick growing sprout would be nice fodder in that case.

I range my 9 over an acre and have no issues, so point conceded.

yes 'very large' leaves everything to the imagination, but eating the grass to destruction demonstrates overstocking, as is usual with confined birds, as you say.

 

[DobieLover]

yes 'very large' leaves everything to the imagination, but eating the grass to destruction demonstrates overstocking, as is usual with confined birds, as you say.

Confined birds.

 

[RenaeS]

I have to say. I came on here for an answer to my question on what to grow I am taken back on being told I am using the wrong term or questioning what I have said in general. The comments are quite condescending. Or is that the wrong use of the word?

I have 9 hens and a rooster who have 100 Sq ft per bird. They had 10 acres of pasture but chose to come to the house and decimate my plants (there's the word again). I have screens that will be placed over what I plant so this is not an issue again. So I will try a second time. What should I plant? Just grass.

 

[DobieLover]

I have to say. I came on here for an answer to my question on what to grow I am taken back on being told I am using the wrong term or questioning what I have said in general. The comments are quite condescending. Or is that the wrong use of the word?

I have 9 hens and a rooster who have 100 Sq ft per bird. They had 10 acres of pasture but chose to come to the house and decimate my plants (there's the word again). I have screens that will be placed over what I plant so this is not an issue again. So I will try a second time. What should I plant? Just grass.

The birds prefer to be near structure (your house in this case) as it makes them feel more secure. You will have to fence them away from your house. You will have to keep them penned until the grass grows back. And they may very well denude it again. It all depends on the soil, sunlight, grass type, weather, etc. on whether or not they will tear through everything again. You may have to increase their pen size or decrease their numbers to find the point at which they will not decimate the greenery. (PS - that is the right word).

 

[Gax000]

You may have to increase their pen size or decrease their numbers to find the point at which they will not decimate the greenery. (PS - that is the right word).

I agree - One of the definitions for the word decimate per Merriam-Webster dictionary: to cause great destruction or harm to.