How much grass for 10 chickens to graze without killing the grass?

[DobieLover]

I would think that 9 chickens would scratch up a .2 acre plot pretty quickly. if they're on it all day every day. The goose will of course also eat grass but not scratch.

The only approach that might work would be if you were able to use temporary fencing to get the chickens into one small space at a time and rotationally graze them.

I run 24 chickens on 0.33 acre and have to mow every week.

 

[hayley3]

I have a fenced area about that big and they haven't destroyed the grass yet and I keep a sheep in there too, BUT I only have 7 hens and they are not let out there every single day (maybe a few days a week). I find that my chickens aren't as interested in grass in the summertime when the bugs are out. They are more likely to eat and kill the young fresh grass in the spring when they're craving greens. As @rosemarythyme said, they will certainly tear up small patches for dust bathing, etc.

I make them a dust bath area...Two actually..one is a huge flower pot and the other is a raised bed garden. Although they do also have another spot they dug out. I would have to plant a lot of different plants to attract bugs. Good to know yours even has a sheep grazing on it... LOL as they are the real grass eaters!

 

[hayley3]

I run 24 chickens on 0.33 acre and have to mow every week.

Interesting! And makes me hopeful!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I run 24 chickens on 0.33 acre and have to mow every week.

Wow, that must be some pretty good grass! Any grass I've put chickens on has become a moonscape very quickly.

 

[DobieLover]

Wow, that must be some pretty good grass! Any grass I've put chickens on has become a moonscape very quickly.

A LOT depends on the soil, climate, amount of sun, drainage, etc. that the area has.
There are a few spots that don't grow well but they are pretty shaded and in a high traffic zone.

 

[hayley3]

@DobieLover That is some nice grass. When I lived in the deep country, I also had to mow. So now I wonder if I can't make the grass stronger to withstand more damage, because your grass looks thick and beautiful. Hmmmm, something to ponder.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have a fenced area about that big and they haven't destroyed the grass yet and I keep a sheep in there too, BUT I only have 7 hens and they are not let out there every single day (maybe a few days a week). I find that my chickens aren't as interested in grass in the summertime when the bugs are out. They are more likely to eat and kill the young fresh grass in the spring when they're craving greens. As @rosemarythyme said, they will certainly tear up small patches for dust bathing, etc.

I keep 6 chickens on a slightly smaller area. I don’t mow, so weeds take over and it becomes a jungle. They certainly haven’t dug it all up. About half the area is long grass and half has tall weeds which I hope provide some cover from hawks.

 

[DobieLover]

@DobieLover That is some nice grass. When I lived in the deep country, I also had to mow. So now I wonder if I can't make the grass stronger to withstand more damage, because your grass looks thick and beautiful. Hmmmm, something to ponder.

It's a good mix of native weeds and grasses with most of it in full sun.

The birds also like to loiter in their run up on the branches, preening themselves in the morning before heading out. And they will spend a lot of time napping under that huge quince shrub at the end of the run. I thought they were going to kill it with all the pooping and scratching they did under it. But instead, it has more than doubled in size. It's a beast. The entire flock can shelter under there during the heat of the day in summer and you wouldn't know I had a single chicken.

 

[hayley3]

It's a good mix of native weeds and grasses with most of it in full sun.

The birds also like to loiter in their run up on the branches, preening themselves in the morning before heading out. And they will spend a lot of time napping under that huge quince shrub at the end of the run. I thought they were going to kill it with all the pooping and scratching they did under it. But instead, it has more than doubled in size. It's a beast. The entire flock can shelter under there during the heat of the day in summer and you wouldn't know I had a single chicken.

That reminds me of the last place I owned, they spent all their time under a big pine tree and a holly tree, scratching it up under there so the rest of the grass was left alone. It was basically like their little apartment. haha

 

[Merrykh]

It depends on how many chickens you have, but they can sure dig it up in a hurry!
I don’t think chickens eat grass, but they did in it trying to find delicious bugs and worms

I have just 5 hens and they ate ALL of my zoysia in a 10 x 15 ft area! It still hasn’t come back and it’s been a year. I do let the hens out every day into the main backyard to search for bugs etc but they MUST be nipping off the new grass tips as they come up. I have no way to let them on a section so some can grow back and then exchange the pens for awhile.