New grass??

[DarleneE]

Sure will. Gave my husband all the info to make one.

 

[K9Dave]

Sure will. Gave my husband all the info to make one.

I'm thinking of doing it with Expanded Metal but not sure what that will be like on their feet. I may make a small platform and see how they do. What other broader leafs were you thinking of trying?

 

[DarleneE]

Mine is strictly grass that's already there that we just want to save so they'll have grass to peck before they totally uproot it all!! We are in the suburbs in a subdivision of homes. Thus we only have our backyard, which already has a pool, decking,a wooden deck besides and lots of landscaping!! So, what is left of the yard is where my husband built them an enclosed area to go out to everyday to play and THAT'S where we're trying to preserve a patch of grass that's left. I'll post a picture of that area enclosure.

 

[aart]

I think expanded metal would probably work depending on the size of the openings and how well it was formed....you'd have to make sure there weren't any sharp edges, even on the edges of the 'holes' where toes and beaks might get into.

The only real way to 'preserve' an 'area' of grass would be to rotate the entire pen on a regular schedule between 3-4 'areas' or severely limit their time in the area....they will decimate everything around the grazing frames.

 

[K9Dave]

I think expanded metal would probably work depending on the size of the openings and how well it was formed....you'd have to make sure there weren't any sharp edges, even on the edges of the 'holes' where toes and beaks might get into. The only real way to 'preserve' an 'area' of grass would be to rotate the entire pen on a regular schedule between 3-4 'areas' or severely limit their time in the area....they will decimate everything around the grazing frames.

Your design is just what I have planned. I plan to use the lightest duty expanded metal that my Steel Shop carries with a small Angle Iron frame with some real light flat bar as a brace across to prevent bowing. On your setup, how often do you move/remove the lid/maintain it? Gathering info so I can design mine better than I have in my head. I can powder coat the whole thing as well (have a friend) and that would last forever. I assume you have to spray it off?

 

[aart]

Quote:
I haven't touched it since I planted it a few months ago, except to water it the first week if it didn't rain.
Haven't really seen to much of an accumulation of poops, rain usually takes care of it...we've had a lot of rain this spring/summer.
Wanted to just see what happened. I don't think they really get alot out of it, they nip it down every day.
I'd like to make another mesh frame to put on top, cover it up to see how much/quickly it really grows.

 

[K9Dave]

I haven't touched it since I planted it a few months ago, except to water it the first week if it didn't rain.
Haven't really seen to much of an accumulation of poops, rain usually takes care of it...we've had a lot of rain this spring/summer.
Wanted to just see what happened. I don't think they really get alot out of it, they nip it down every day.
I'd like to make another mesh frame to put on top, cover it up to see how much/quickly it really grows.

Sounds like a good idea to see how much they really consume.