ideas for a “green” run

[Yevesman]

Hi all,

Seeking ideas from everyone around designing runs with greenery in a way that the chickens can’t destroy it all - hard I know!

For instance by surrounding a plant with heavy rocks I’ve been able to have such plants survive even if the leaves are picked on occasionally, the roots are safe.

I’m curious to know if anyone has found a way to actually keep green cover such as grass or other. For instance could you and would you lay mesh wire on the ground, would it prevent scratching grass to death, would that be desirable etc.

What about hedges perhaps?

Looking forward to see pictures of your setups.

Thanks

 

[Aunt Angus]

Good question!

I don't have a green run, but I do have a chicken pasture that I keep green through rotation. However, I have seen folks grow fodder for their chickens in wide, shallow pans, and put them in their birds' run. I have used potted plants that I rotated to allow them to recover for a few weeks. And I've seen people use garden fencing to allow chickens to stick their heads in to pick at leaves while protecting the roots from digging.

I would think mesh might be problematic for their feet, but my mom used that white vinyl lattice for her dog run, and it worked well once the grass really grew in. We actually kept our chickens in there for a few months when we moved. It stayed pretty green. The thing is that unless the plants get recovery time, they will probably succumb at some point.

I don't know if that helps, but I am interested in hearing what others say.

 

[AGeese]

I think the mesh covered fodder box idea works as it is shown best or for small runs/yards. I would not lay wire on the ground, you don't want it rusting and or having a chicken get their foot snagged on a fray.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

You could go with "rings" of old welded wire fence. Plant in them, and when they've grown in, move the ring (either partially or completely) and let the chickens at the greenery.

 

[MadGardener]

Like @Aunt Angus I am a fan of mobile pasture. How dry is your corner of Oz? It may be much more work if you don't have much precipitation. I'm not willing to water pasture lol.

How much space are you working with?

 

[Yevesman]

Sadly I’m a humble backyard chicken keeper, very few sqms to play with! But I have toyed with th idea of pots or any container really that I drop in for a few days then take out… not very practical but it’s a solution. Maybe I could do a pulley based system where I lower a whole row of plants for a few days then raise again for recovery!

Any other ideas? Thanks for sharing every one!

 

[AGeese]

chickenponics.

 

[MadGardener]

Any other ideas? Thanks for sharing every one!

I found the food towers very interesting:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-food-tower.1480872/

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Not happening. The only way to keep chickens from destroying a space is to have a LOT of space, or to fence the chickens out of it. My "run" measures about 30 x 60 - the gates are always open, the chickens are only in it for feedings at night, and to use the hen houses. I can't keep it a lush carpet of green - though there are green spots in it. I'd wager most BYCers don't have 1,800 sq ft of run - and while I have more chickens than most, my chickens don't spend much of their active time in the run. Even my pasture takes a beating from the chickens, and its most of two acres...

Swapping out fodder trays and potted plants is about the only way to maintain a visually attractive 'green space' in their run - constant effort. Their scratching at the ground and digging hollows to dust bathe virtually guarantees bare patches and damage roots, even if they aren't eating the plants in question, while their poop is nitrogen rich - rich enough to burn many plants when they are small.

 

[bhawk-23]

I recently read about putting hardware cloth under mulch. Our chickens destroyed our edging by scratching all the mulch away and making dust baths. But if we had something there to prevent all the digging then I'd imagine that would have moved on. We will be trying that this year. In these mulched areas are our fruit trees and bushes. They have survived but the area looks awful. Lol
I wonder if you can edge areas around the plants and use a barrier to keep them from the roots and give them a chance to establish enough to survive some chicken pecking? I'm still trying to figure all this out myself though lol