Putting in a new lawn with free-range chickens

[Aztecsue1]

Has anyone tried to put in a new lawn with free-range chickens about? If so, what are some tips?

 

[bruceha2000]

Fence! If you do not fence them out they will scratch out and eat all the seed. Yes even if you put straw over the area.

 

[staceyj]

Sincerely,

Stacey

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Fence! If you do not fence them out they will scratch out and eat all the seed. Yes even if you put straw over the area.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Welcome, by the way

 

[staceyj]

I’m sorry.
My experience:

A half a dozen chickens turned 3/4 of an acre of lush turf and carefully cultivated cozy gardens into a moonscape in a year’s time.
We re-evaluated the free range concept and decided to limit their area.

The second year we’ve spent trying to reestablish grass and gardens.
It’s been a struggle.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I had to train my girls not to eat the neighbor's garden when I took them out in the front yard for a little extra free ranging. My backyard run is denuded It took some doing to keep them from eating their garden. We live in the city.

 

[lazy gardener]

Seeding a new lawn with free range chickens: My best advice: don't even attempt it! They will scratch it up and decimate the seeds before you can even get those seeds watered in. Either fence the birds in or out.

 

[oregonkat]

As the above posters have indicated, it's not a good idea. I also allowed my chickens to roam around doing what chickens do and ended up with a moonscape also. Fence them into their own space and then if you can or if you have the desire to you can sprout stuff just for them. You will hate your chickens if you allow them to get at your newly sowed lawn.... really!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Green is good, so how about herbs? A nice mixed planting of mixed ground cover plants, some grasses, oregano, mints, shrubs, and 'weeds', AKA native plants. It will be green when Kentucky bluegrass is brown and ugly, support diverse critters, and do fine.
Mary

 

[Kfults]

I built a 40x40 yard attached to their moonscaped run. I have made an inside apron of 1/2 hardware wire around the inside of the fence (3 feet wide) hoping grass will grow through and they won’t be able to scratch and kill it ( anyone have any luck with this? ) the middle area is plain grass and will probably be dirt in no time.