USED to have grass before chickens-HELP!!

[NCLady52]

OK, I have a question. My chickiepoos have eaten all the grass in my backyard closest to the house. How do I reseed my "mudslide" without them eating all the grass seed? What grass seed is available without a coating that may make them sick or kills them? They free-range my entire backyard with no problems as I have a wonderful protecting dog who loves to play with them. Now that she is no longer a pup she doesn't try to catch them and ends up killing them because she is so much bigger than they are. They actually come up on my deck to try and eat her food, and she LETS them!! lol

 

[Sheepheart]

I think you will just have to keep them from roaming on the area your reseeding. Chickens are really hard on the ground

 

[NCLady52]

I think you will just have to keep them from roaming on the area your reseeding. Chickens are really hard on the ground

Tell me about it! lol I love them, but they are hell on grass! Wouldn't trade them for the world though. Any suggestions for the type of grass I should use to cut down on them decimating it again?

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Maybe you could pen up the hens while you let some new grass grow?

 

[NCLady52]

Maybe you could pen up the hens while you let some new grass grow?

That is about the only idea I have had too. I'm actually about to put up a new coop and run. Got them a kiddie pool that I plan to put sand, dirt & DE in for them to use for dustbathing instead of creating the holes in my yard that they made over the past couple of years. That's where my "mudslide" started. lol NOTHING would make me give up my little entertainers. I love how they come running when they hear my voice or see me. Absolutely precious!

I've been thinking about the drainage problem in the backyard as well. It's on a slope that goes drastically downhill once you get out of my backyard. I've decided to put rain barrels at all my gutters that drain close to the yard. I think that will help some. Right now, it is an ABSOLUTE literal mudslide around my deck and immediate area of the backyard. There is a back section that has taller grass I didn't mow as much last summer that they free-range in too.

 

[Kholts]

Could you buy cheap plastic fencing & some rebar or stakes? You know it usually comes in rolls & is green or orange.

You would just have to fence off the area your seeding.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Unless you are going to manage your chickens in a rotating pasture style, moving them from field to field as recently decimated greenery recovers, or you plan to expand your yard to acreage size, mud pits where once green grass grew is your future "yard".

Uncoated seed is available in bulk, you didn't identify your location (and you should!), but I've used this with decent [not good/great] results. I've also applied a no till cover crop, AND I've applied a goat and similar livestock grass blend, so my pasture has lots of options. It does not, however, resemble a yard - its too patchwork in size and color.

Good luck!

 

[NCLady52]

Could you buy cheap plastic fencing & some rebar or stakes? You know it usually comes in rolls & is green or orange.

You would just have to fence off the area your seeding.

Good idea! I will actually have posts from their old run I can use.! FANTASTIC!!! Should've thought of that!

 

[NCLady52]

Unless you are going to manage your chickens in a rotating pasture style, moving them from field to field as recently decimated greenery recovers, or you plan to expand your yard to acreage size, mud pits where once green grass grew is your future "yard".

Uncoated seed is available in bulk, you didn't identify your location (and you should!), but I've used this with decent [not good/great] results. I've also applied a no till cover crop, AND I've applied a goat and similar livestock grass blend, so my pasture has lots of options. It does not, however, resemble a yard - its too patchwork in size and color.

Good luck!

sorry, North Carolina mountains 3/4 acre lot-back yard probably 1/2 acre. It's just the area immediately around my house that is wrecked. I'll just have to either pen up the kids or block it off to them. Will definitely try your blend of grass seed though. Looks interesting and good for them to boot! Gotta love Amazon!

 

[Sheepheart]

I know my local farm store sold a chicken grass mix last year. Idk how well it does though and it was very expensive. I would suggest a variety that does well in your area that has a strong root base and system. I’m not much of a grass expert so I don’t know of any right off the top of my head ^^’