How quickly will a 10x12 run go from lush grass to dirt?

[Luke13:34]

I'd like to be able to move my run around the yard from time to time to allow grass to grow back. How quickly will a 10x12 run get reduced to dirt?

 

[Tylt33]

How many and what size chickens?

 

[Mahonri]

10 chickens would make it dirt in about a month or so.

 

[Luke13:34]

Sorry.. that would be 4 large chickens (2 Wellsummer, 2 EE)

 

[joletabey]

2 months? 6 weeks? Depends on whether you get rain, too. On the other hand, I have a bunch of Dels that are surprisingly uninterested in scratching around, and I have to mow their run occasionally.

BTW- I love your chapter and verse!

 

[Luke13:34]

Thanks, all! That sounds good. I was hoping to move it once a month ...BEFORE it is reduced to dirt..to allow the grass to grow back. I'm in CT, so it rains, but not terribly. The backyard slopes, too, so there is good drainage (although it makes it more tricky to level my coop!) In the winter, we will move it up next to a corner in our house to protect it from snow and wind.

 

[elmo]

If you wait until the run is reduced to dirt, you'll need to reseed and it will take much longer for the grass to grow back than if you move the run more frequently (before the chickens have scratched everything up). The other factor is hygiene: a lot of poo builds up in that area.

If you move your tractor more frequently (say, every few days), both problems are pretty much solved.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I don't know, 15 of mine took 200 sq. ft. down to dirt in 3 days when I added it to my 100 ft. space. My 8 bantams denude most of a 50 sq. ft. in 2 days, before I move them.

 

[ranchhand]

I was going to say about 15 minutes!

 

[harewizard]

12 hens + 15 x 9 enclosed run = bare soil in 2 days.

Lisa