spreading out yard damage

[lcarreau]

This is a followup to another thread I started. I a coop and auto feeder/waterer all in the same area. This is the area where my yard birds spend most of their time even though they have access to the full yard all day. I have noticed that they are tearing up the yard in that space. What can I do to encourage them to spend more time in other art of the yard? I have scattered food in other areas and they happily eat it up only to return to their favorite hangout spot. I guess I want to sort of have a chicken bar in the yard so they have more hangout spots to spread the yard damage out a bit. I suppose I could move the food and water to the opposite side of the yard.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You will likely need to fence off the part that is losing its vegetation till you can encourage new growth. Aside from them scratching the soil and eating vegetation, the two main problems around a coop are soil compaction and high phosphorus from feces.

 

[Folly's place]

Do they have an enclosed run at your coop? Just plan on shavings or chips there, and realize that chickens do demolish landscaping!
You can landscape for them, with shrubs, chips, and fencing, or a movable 'chicken tractor' so they do travel around your yard, fertilizing it in sections. you will be moving it every day, or twice a week, depending.
Their coop is security, and wandering away from it, especially with no overhead cover, is dangerous, so they are being careful.
Post some pictures, maybe we can help.
Mary

 

[lcarreau]

There is no enclosed space, but they have free access to the coop. there are vertical elements in the yard like a tree and a power pole that I could attach a "porch" for them to get under.

 

[lcarreau]

You can see from the pic above that the coop is slightly off the ground and between 2 trees. They love the space between the tree and the fence up by the coop. They can also duck under the coop and there is a nest box attached to the outside of the coop behind the tree on the right. I also put together a bunch of little perches to hang out on. Its sort of a chicken spa.