New run!

[Elitefarm]

I moved my chickens into a new area, it is 75x35 (13 chickens) and 30x35 (4 standard 2 bantams) how long on average before they have all of the grass completely gone? I do have food out for them at all times and a place to dust bathe if that helps ‍

 

[Henriettamom919]

I moved my chickens into a new area, it is 75x35 (13 chickens) and 30x35 (4 standard 2 bantams) how long on average before they have all of the grass completely gone? I do have food out for them at all times and a place to dust bathe if that helps ‍

First, congrats! Second, do you have a picture or can you take one? I had three chickens clear a garden intentionally allowed to go wild and overflowing with greens and weeds in under six weeks!

 

[Elitefarm]

This is about the best picture I could get of all of it

 

[aart]

Sweet!
That's a great pic!
I'll guess 4-6 weeks.
Gonna cover the run with mesh against aerial preds??

 

[Henriettamom919]

Sweet!
That's a great pic!
I'll guess 4-6 weeks.
Gonna cover the run with mesh against aerial preds??

I agree! Both on this is beautiful and also on the 4/6 week lifespan. There are some tricks to extend grass life, if you'd like them (well, they worked for my pullets in a fenced garden)

 

[jthornton]

There is only one way to keep them from turning that run into a barren waste land...



I had 2' tall grass in the run and it only took 10 young birds a few weeks to turn it into a barren place. The only plant they have tried to eat is a polk plant that is growing up in the fence.

JT

 

[Elitefarm]

Week one done and doesn't look like they've done a thing. In the last week I had a broodys 9/9 eggs hatch so that's been fun and have covered their run with netting. They still get locked in their coop at night time so I'm not too worried about other dangers more just to be less tempting for hawks!
Babies are doing good and crazy cute I wish I could keep them all
(Bands have already all been removed they were just to see what chicks were what)

 

[wemimew]

There is only one way to keep them from turning that run into a barren waste land...

View attachment 1826095

I had 2' tall grass in the run and it only took 10 young birds a few weeks to turn it into a barren place. The only plant they have tried to eat is a polk plant that is growing up in the fence.

JT

That is a fantastic idea to keep fresh grass in there!!! I am making a run at the moment and will do that for my fluff butts!

 

[FowlWitch]

View attachment 1823559 This is about the best picture I could get of all of it

That's a nice coop!

 

[Elitefarm]

5 weeks in, I know still haven't done the cover I should have this weekend off to do so. Anyway the grass is actually greener and growing taller then the grass outside their coop hopefully I found a good balance of feeding and roaming my girls free range from 7am to 8-9 pm depending on when they go to bed. There is a few dust bathing holes, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how nice they've kept it.