Run area bare...?

[cherylgladys]

Hello all....my chickens are just starting to lay, so I have had them for a few months now.....and when I put the coop in and run, there were lots of weeds and the chickens had fun foraging all around the run area. Now, it's completely bare and even with winter coming, I don't think the weeds will be back because the chickens gobble up the weeds right away. So in the mornings, I will usually go out in my garden and gather up lots of weeds and grass, cutting them to about 3 inches or less, and throw them in for the chickens, which they love. Then during the day, I will give them treats of watermelon, yogurt, grapes, broccoli and mealworms once in awhile. I try to keep them occupied with such things, and I put a toy in there and a mirror and I hope to make a swing, but it looks pretty boring in there. I have read numerous articles on bored chickens and I certainly don't want that to happen to them....my question is....do all runs get run bare after awhile? Is that just the way it goes? I do have a large yard they could free run in, but I don't want to ruin my garden and I am afraid if I let them run in there, I wouldn't be able to get them back in their run area. So, that's my dilema....any hints? PS - Have 3 chickens......

 

[CluckerFamily]

My run is bare but the flock free ranges during the day. They love scratching under my perennial bases to get the pests, the only perennial they absolutely love to eat are the hostas but only one kind of hosta but then again, the deer love these too! My vegetable garden is out in the open and the chickens won't go that far, they will stay within the 1/2 acre of perennials and then under the trees that their coop is within.
Some things my flock seems to love are flock blocks but I tend to make my own instead of buying it. I drill holes in water bottles and then fill with either scratch, mealworms, or feed for the winter, they love rolling it around and have some things pop out. I have added cedar logs in the run after the tornado knocked down most of my trees. I will also put out cabbage on a rope, or fruit and vegetables from my garden that are in the cellar (pumpkins, squash, apples).
All these seem to help as nice little treats that distract them.
Oh! And snow! They don't free range in the winter and I winterize the run where not a lot of snow can get through so I end up shoveling snow into the run for them to eat.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes runs go bare after a while - bigger runs with smaller population will keep vegetation longer, but once everything is scratched up it won't grow back.

I do let my flock out for some supervised time in the yard and have no issues getting the birds back in the run. If yours are trained to come to you for treats, you can use that to call them back to you/the run.

I'm not keen on food for entertainment. Here's a good read on how to clutter up your run for chicken entertainment: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Jeanw]

Yep, they’ll decimate the run in no time. I also only have 3 chickens and they will clear an area like nobody’s business. I throw fallen leaves and grass clippings in the run trying to keep the muddy problem from occurring. Straight wood mulch is good, nothing treated or dyed. I noticed that chickens are very curious about the goings on around them so if you can do any chores or activities with them in view they tend to be very interested unless it’s a loud lawnmower or something. You could put some cut logs or cardboard pieces in there, after a day or so bugs congregate underneath, you can turn them over and the chickens will have a field day exploring what you uncover. Chicken “jungle gyms” are a cute idea too but I’ve not tried. My chooks get to free range and keep themselves busy.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I noticed that chickens are very curious about the goings on around them so if you can do any chores or activities with them in view they tend to be very interested unless it’s a loud lawnmower or something. Chicken “jungle gyms” are a cute idea too but I’ve not tried. My chooks get to free range and keep themselves busy.

Mine don't even mind the lawnmower. But yes they get very excited when I'm out raking or clearing out the garden bed near their run, and will stand around and watch.

I do have a chicken jungle gym and it does get used, more by younger birds which are agile and can get up and down easily. Sometimes half the flock is sitting on it and grooming.

 

[Jekisca]

Bare dirt in runs is totally normal. I have mulch from a free chip drop that I put in my run, the chickens are constantly turning, digging, foraging through it for bugs that may have wandered in.. They don't seem to ever tire of digging in it so it works well for my flock... They aren't getting much as far as food from it but they seem happy. I've heard of others doing similar things with having a compost are they can access, letting the chickens turn it and dig through it..

 

[CluckerFamily]

Hmmmm... I thought I would want to keep as much snow out as possible...?
Snow for chickens to eat...? Snow cones!

There is a foot gap from the corrugated plastic sheets that I slide along the run for the winter to the top of the run, the run also has a metal roof. But I also have 1/4" hardware cloth surrounding everything so a lot of snow can't get in unless we have the snow coming in sideways. When I shovel the snow in, they are soooooo happy! When we get fresh fluffy snow, Clarabelle will watch for me to come out of the house and then start squawking, if I don't bring the shovel with, she squawks very loudly
It always makes me think of "Little House in the Big Woods" and how they made maple syrup and put it on the snow to eat.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am not keen on food entertainment either....I will check out that thread and see what I can come up with. I don't want anything they can fly up on and then "fly the coop"! I have seen swings, but wonder if they would really use those? Thanks so much....

Some birds use swings but many don't - you won't know if they'll use them until they have access.

 

[CluckerFamily]

That's funny! I just made a plastic bottle with holes in and put in some mealworms, and tried to show them how to get the worms out, but it kind of freaked them out....until they saw the worms...but they still can't figure out to kick it and get them out. I guess in time they will get the idea....thanks for your tips!

You can always leave the cap off to help them get the hang of it. Then once they get the hang of it put the cap on so it is a little more challenging. They come up with some great moves to get the food out!

 

[cherylgladys]

Bare dirt in runs is totally normal. I have mulch from a free chip drop that I put in my run, the chickens are constantly turning, digging, foraging through it for bugs that may have wandered in.. They don't seem to ever tire of digging in it so it works well for my flock... They aren't getting much as far as food from it but they seem happy. I've heard of others doing similar things with having a compost are they can access, letting the chickens turn it and dig through it..

good idea....I am going to start a compost pile separate from the one I put their poops in...and a neighbor just had a chip drop in their front yard and said I could use some, so that will be my next thing to do. I might get some straw to mix in there as well. Soon, with the rains coming in Sacramento, I am going to lay down course sand instead of decomposed granite and try to keep the area from getting muddy....