No grass left in chicken area

[MimiNelson]

My chickens have a 20' x 24' area to forage around in but it has NO grass anymore. My girls love to munch on some blades of grass so I have been grabbing from our yard and giving them that each day. Growing fodder sounds like a never ending job and I will be honest, I am confused as to what I am supposed to look for to even use, wheat/barley grain? Wheat/barley seed? Wheat/barley feed?Would barley livestock feed work? See? Too many questions for my convenience.

 

[PirateGirl]

So what are you trying to accomplish? Grass in your run? A fodder system?

My initial thought is that you could build grazing frames within the run creating areas where grasses or fodder can grow and the chickens can eat it without districting the roots and it can grow back.

http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2012/02/07/grazing-frames-backyard-chickens/

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Since the grass is gone... maybe work on building up "deep litter". I aim to make my run like the forest floor. Thick with leaves, pine needles, old shavings, hay, grass clippings... It invites bugs and good bacteria to balance things instead of a disease inviting barren ground covered in feces that stinks to high heaven. I pick up the extra poos I see, but even those who don't do not experience the same kind of stink as bare ground especially when it rains. I now dump at least a couple bags of clippings every time I mow. The chickens like to scratch through it and pick out goodies, including the bugs. Don't forget chickens are omnivores and like to eat meat!

I LOVE sprouting barley fodder (or even just sprouts) I bought feed grade non pearled from the feed store. Planting grade can have chemicals. A 50# bag was about $18 US. It really is more about enrichment than nutrients. Barley is said to be the easiest with the least amount of mold or other issues. You can even do oats, sunflower seeds, black oil sunflower seeds, millet, corn, peas, oats, and yes wheat (white, winter, red, hard). Anything that will sprout. Not all nutrient values are equal for example corn only has about 7% protein where as wheat has about 14% and peas 22%. And something like BOSS is going to be a lot higher in fat. Anything that hasn't been heat processed, cracked, or ground. It really isn't much work at all. I simply set a jar next to the sink, soak one night and rinse a couple times a day when I am there washing my hands anyways. Sometimes I feed out at sprout stage (day 4) instead of fodder since nutrient value isn't much different, and savings stated by most (or the weight increase of 7 X), it's true I see about 7 times the weight in the same amount of days BUT that is water weight and dry matter is what equals the nutrients according to studies I have read.

I like my birds to have green and they like it as well. But if you are feeding a formulated ration, green isn't required. It is a bonus.

Some people will set up a little wire covered frame that keeps the chickens from scratching and eating away down to the roots and dirt. So the chooks get to pluck the fresh tops that grow through while preserving the plant itself. That might be an option for you, if free ranging isn't.

Hope you enjoy your adventure!

 

[coach723]

The only way to have grass where your chickens are is to have a large enough space for the number of birds you have that they don't dig it all up, or to do the grazing frames to protect the roots. I have an approx. 60' x 60' fenced open run area for 2 dozen birds, along with an 8' x 30' completely covered run. The covered area is in deep litter, the outside area is mostly grass, the only bare areas are the favored ones for dust bathing, and the doorway from the covered run to the open run because it's high traffic. During daylight hours the door between the two is always open so they can come and go as they please, it closes at dusk.

 

[igorsMistress]

Last year I had tall grass and weeds. This year not even weeds. The only grass is in two areas the girls don't have access to. We are building grass frames so they have some and I do supplement with leftover stuff from the fridge. Mustard greens, cilantro, parsley, kale, herbs, broccoli and spinach, whatever I have. It may not be necessary but they love it.

 

[sirrobyn0]

I'd say loosing the grass in your run is pretty typical. In my opinion you have two options, #1. Build a second run so you can switch between the two runs giving each run a chance to rest and possibly grow some grass. #2. When you mow your lawn through clean clipping in there. Better yet when you weed your flower beds or garden through the weeds in there. They love digging through the roots to find bugs and worms. Your chickens will love that. Also keep in mind chickens don't need grass in the run to be happy.

 

[PirateGirl]

I always see people talk about mowing lawns. This is a foreign concept to me... living on the plains we just let it grow and have a yard full of wild flowers. What grows here naturally, grows well, what doesn't, dies.

 

[HillBilly64]

Sorry to butt in to. Your thread. I have a similar issue...they have 400 sq feet but removed the grass in a week (8 chooks)

i have read (on here maybe) grass clippings aren’t a good idea as they go mouldy quickly...
Would adding bales of straw work to create a deep litter run...

 

[coach723]

Sorry to butt in to. Your thread. I have a similar issue...they have 400 sq feet but removed the grass in a week (8 chooks)

i have read (on here maybe) grass clippings aren’t a good idea as they go mouldy quickly...
Would adding bales of straw work to create a deep litter run...

Grass clippings are fine if they are dry. Deep litter works best where it stays dry, so covered runs are best for it. There is nothing inherently wrong with straw, but it depends on your birds. Some people have had birds eat it and get impactions, so I'd just be aware. Others use it with no problems, so seems to depend on the birds. I use pine shavings, and any dry lawn or leaf waste to add to that, when I have it available. Lots of things will work, the key is that it is dry and you really need about 6" of material at least for it to work well. For grass clippings I leave them lay in the sun for a day or two, then I have a drag sweeper that I use to pick them up, they are very dry. If it rains, those ones just don't get picked up.

 

[alexa009]

With my 10 chickens they would destroy a pen full of grass in a day but my black copper marans for some reason have been in their penned area for a few months now and haven't even touched the grass! Now it's really getting overgrown.