Hi. I just got a coop with three chickens on Saturday and I love them already! I am trying to not be an overprotective mama and let them free range all by themselves (I have been acting as chicken security the last couple of days with supervised free ranging times due to the hawks I have here). While I am not overly concerned about the yard, is their poop beneficial to my yard or will it just kill the grass as they free range? I was just wondering. Thanks
They will eat the grass before the poo does enough damage to notice. They love grass. I have had to use a sprinkler to keep some green around for them. Thankfully the rain is about to start up again here in Oregon.
We have a lot of grass, and our chickens poo on it all the time. We don't have any dead spots, but I try to discourage their being in the grass because I don't appreciate the kids tracking it into the house. Great job watching over your girls... you'll get more comfortable just letting them go free as time goes on.
With only 3 chickens I don't think you will have a problem with their poop killing the grass except for maybe right in front of the coop door which would get the most traffic. In fact a little poop is simply good fertilizer. If you had them in a small run you may have problems as over time concentrated chicken poop can be too toxic for grass, but by free ranging only 3 chickens you should not have any problem. Good Luck!
If they concentrate in one area it may eventually kill it off but on the whole 3 wouldn't be enough. Now ducks? you should see what my flock can do to grass
