Run: Half bare, Half thick brush?

[JerAtwater]

So, my coop is surrounded by a run. It's about 5 feet to a fence in front, with about 3 feet on the sides and about 40+feet to the rear. The first 15 feet or so towards the rear is pretty bare. The rest of it is thick brush, briar patch, tall grass and weeds. It was a real PIA to fence in that back portion. I thought it would be a nice hiding spot for them since hawks love to hunt for them.

Now, I'm wondering if I should clear some of it out......or wait till winter and cut some back.

The reason I say this is because a couple of them don't shut up and pace the fence wanting to come out. I do let them out, but only supervised now, since 2 were taken out by our Hawk friends.

Maybe they are just bored in there and want to go forage?

I did just start a compost pile in there to try and give them something to occupy their time. It seems to help a little.

 

[andreanar]

Don't worry, the chickens will have that all cleared out in no time!!

 

[JerAtwater]

Oh yeah, the underneath of the brush is DIRT. They picked that clean.


Maybe I'll cave a little path through it.



(I don't know why I like creating more work for myself)

 

[andreanar]

Oh yeah, the underneath of the brush is DIRT. They picked that clean.


Maybe I'll cave a little path through it.



(I don't know why I like creating more work for myself)

 

[Kiki]

You can cover it with netting too to help keep the hawks away

 

[aart]

If they can get thru the brush no need to clear it more.
Good hawk cover and shade.
Thing is, can other preds get under or over the fence?

 

[JerAtwater]

If they can get thru the brush no need to clear it more.
Good hawk cover and shade.
Thing is, can other preds get under or over the fence?

A few did get under. A skunk several times and a fox recently. He got a hold of one of my girls. I ran out at 3am and scared him off before he could finish the job.

Now, the perimeter has been sured up, the chicken is on the mend and the Fox is dead.

I saw the Skunk again walking the outside and couldn't find his way in.

 

[Sara Ranch]

In one of the uncovered runs, I left the furthest from me side with heavy weeds. I mowed the rest of the front run. This makes it challenging for a ground predator to get through the tangled of jungle along that fence line. And it gives the chickens a place to lounge in the shade + hide from overhead predators.

I left some patches of tall stuff through out the front run. Over time, the chickens flattened it. When the front pasture was looking like it needed a break, I opened the back pasture. At one time, the back pasture was also mowed, with the same thought process. The back pasture has lots of thorny, OWie-ouch tall plants. Know where my chickens go to hide??? In the owie patch. You know how difficult it is to get one when I need to? Well, let's chalk it up to a chicken win and a desperate prayer that they chicken(s) will be ok.

I put up sheets and scraps of fabric to be additional shade providers as well as deterrents to overhead predators. I am also outside a lot with the animals.

Heavy, thick stuff along the far border is probably ok. Heavy, thick stuff in the middle or in spot places through the run is ok.

Consider what you need to do to see the chickens and to get to the chickens if there is an urgent situation - like doing a mid day head count, or trying to help a hurt chicken, or trying to get them to go to the coop early because you won't be there to close up at dusk. Then decide how to landscape the runs.

I give projects to my chickens. They are currently scratching out an old stuff and a stubborn patch of crab grass. I toss food there and they scratch.

Covering the run is also an option. I don't cover my runs, even though I have quite a few overhead predators. My chickens (especially the leghorns) in one flock like to fly and easily fly 6' in height. I see them roosting on the fence. I'd hate for them to bonk their head on the cover or get tangled up in the cover. They don't leave. And a few have made the mistake of leaving the run and being chased/mated with by an arduous rooster.

I am considering covering the run for another flock. Those girls aren't into flying (by choice) and a rat snake has discovered their current housing. So moving them to another house and run might slow down the egg thief, but I fugue the guy and his buddies will eventually figure it out. So covering their run might be a necessity. And *sigh* maybe the other run eventually.