run plantings

[nightshade]

OKay I have a few pine trees planted in my run but I was wondering if a pasture grass mix would grow there and if anyone has tried it. The section of my run I would like to plant is 24x12, I am going to be fencing my girls off of that part for a while anyway to put a new roof on it, including the plastic roofing pannels.

I am not expecting it to be 100% chicken proof. But would hope it could survive. I though it may be nicer for them to have alittle green to pick at. instead of the dirt. As well as it woudl help with the mud around the duck pond.

What do you all think.?
What do you have in your runs for plantings?
What about raspberries ? > edited to ask this

 

[Jillylam]

I am going to be doing the same thing this Spring. My run started as grass but in the fall and winter got so wet and muddy I'll definitely need to seed it in the Spring. I'm not sure what to use but I bet there are some mixes that would be great. The grass that I had in my run this year was a mix of Kentucky Blue Grass and a few different types of Fescue. Someone mentioned to me that they were going to try to sow some kind of winter seed but I don't know what it was or if it worked.

 

[NJfarmer]

i thought about planting some vine vegetables on the outside of the run and have it grow wild all over the run

 

[Gonzo the Great]

Oh boy, what a great idea! I could grow a ton of asian long beans and have the chooks take out the lower hanging ones while still camouflaging the coop from my nosy neighbor. Wow, talk about ecosystem!

 

[kstaven]

pasture grass will work. If you can seed in clover, it helps to keep things greener and more wear resistant.

 

[1acrefarm]

Good luck. Everywhere I have put a run with well established grass was picked clean in a matter of days. I have finally resorted to sand in my run. I do plan to make a frame with landscape timbers covered with hardware cloth along one side of my run later. I figure the grass I plant under it can grow up through hardware cloth. They would only be able to get the blades and not the roots then.

 

[Churkenduse]

I am sorry but anything you plant there will be gone an a matter of days. Why bother, it would be better to build a tractor and let them take a shot at all parts of your property and yet not destroy any of it.

The berry bush will be devoured in minutes, it takes awhile to establish berries, i grow them, they would not stand a chance.

I have an Idea. How about going to the edge or a far off spot in your land and take some sod cuttings and replant that? You know slip your shovel under the roots and slice a chunk just like sod. Plant it in the run as establish grass and it would take longer for them to destroy. Then you can plant grass in the spot that you took the sod from. It is even a good opportunity to now grow that nice flower bed you may have thought about before.

Just a thought.

 

[patandchickens]

I would not give it good odds in that small a space unless you have only a very few chickens AND keep them off it for UNTIL FALL so the grass establishes deeply. If this is in the shade of the pine trees you mention, I don't think even that will work.

Also, is this going to be *underneath* plastic roofing panels? If so that will make things even tougher for the grass as the only watering it will get will be rain blowing in from the sides occasionally... unless you are going to be out there regularly with a hose I suppose

I'm not just talking about when the grass is getting started, I'm talking about forever.

Of course you can try it and it will cost you nothing except the price of the seed but probably best to have limited expectations, you know ?

Good luck,

Pat

 

[greyfields]

Whatever you put in the run will get destroyed. I ues portable range shelters to lessen the impact on the ground.

I have moved the chickens into areas where I've grown wheat and oats. They rather enjoyed that.

 

[hooligan]

I am thinking of growing some tomato plants in 5 gal buckets and putting them in the chickens yard for a little bit of green. But I plan on taking another 5gal bucket and turning it upside down to the the other bucket on so they are about 3+ft. from the ground.
I would plant some gourds that are trailing but they ate my honeysuckle last year that was trailing on the fence so I think that might be out.
Our yard was so lush and green, then we got chickens and they ate it.