How to keep the grass in my run...

[Keltara]

We are about to put our 6 week buff orpingtons in their new coop and run any day. Currently the run is grass. I've heard that if you lay chicken wire over top of the grass, that the chickens won't be able to completely pull it out by it's roots there by allowing the grass to stay. Has anyone had any success with this? Please post your experiences as I'm still learning.

 

[cowdogcadillac]

they will kill it all. Resistance is futile.Good luck with keeping it as long as you can.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

The only way to keep grass in there is to not put chickens in. Sorry.

Laying down chicken wire would prolong the inevitable but not for long. I would suggest allowing them to turn it to dirt and then putting in sand (so there's no mud).

If you're like me and love green & plants--plant flowers, wisteria, etc around the coop & run.

 

[YYZ]

They eat grass? Mine never do , or i dont see them.

 

[countrycluckerskaren]

Agreed - there is no way to keep a grassy run unless you move them to a new section and let the old section grow back. We have considered doing this....creating a new run beside the current run. In the current run install a gate to heard them out of the coop and into the new run. This will allow them fresh grass to munch and allow the first run to recuperate and grow back.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
They will eat it but they also scratch, dig, dust bathe and trample it.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

There's a thread on here somewhere that shows a coop with raised planter boxes in the run. Grass is planted in the boxes with chicken wire over the top. The chickens can then hop up onto the boxes and eat the end of the tall grass as it grows through the wire without scratching it up with their feet. The rest of the run is left alone so that they can scratch and be chickens, take dust baths etc. Wish I knew how to find that thread...it's pretty cool.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

What about the 'salad bar' idea?

 

[shesaredroan]

Here's a site that shows "salad bars" ...........
BYC member arianna has a home page showing how she created areas of grass that her chickens could enjoy, but not kill out.
Pretty neat idea!!!!
I'm planning on trying this.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Yay Chicks! :

There's a thread on here somewhere that shows a coop with raised planter boxes in the run. Grass is planted in the boxes with chicken wire over the top. The chickens can then hop up onto the boxes and eat the end of the tall grass as it grows through the wire without scratching it up with their feet. The rest of the run is left alone so that they can scratch and be chickens, take dust baths etc. Wish I knew how to find that thread...it's pretty cool.

I know the thread you are talking about. Lemme see if I can find it...​