What kind of grass to grow?

[Madhouse Pullet]

I wanted to grow some grass in their run, which is shaded by trees but, realized I wasn't sure what to get. Would I just buy what they have at Lowe's or Home Depot or is there a specific brand or type to look for?? Is there anything you would recommend?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

They will *destroy* it.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

omgoodness, really?? Ohhh man

 

[ManWithChicks]

Id agree. Its impossiple.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

If you can periodically move your run from one area to another, it might work, but they will eat everything in a day or 2 so I'm not sure it's worth the effort. You can grow some herbs and veggies in the garden and bring them over for treatsies.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

What would be good to grow around their run where they spend less time around?

 

[aart]

What would be good to grow around their run where they spend less time around?

Was there anything growing there 'before chickens'?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

That's a good question. I will keep watching this to see what you find out. Earlier in the spring I would let my chicks hang out in my perennial garden. There wasn't much growing there yet but they really seemed to like the lady's mantle and I think they ate the catnip before I removed it.

 

[NatJ]

I wanted to grow some grass in their run, which is shaded by trees but, realized I wasn't sure what to get.

Any grass or plants IN the run will get killed.

But you might be able to grow plants outside the run, that will stick in through the wire and the chickens can eat just those parts. I'm not sure what does well in shade, though.

You could try peas-- any of the kinds that people grow in a garden for people to eat. They grow nice vines, and the leaves/stems are safe to eat too. So they can climb up the outside of the fence, the chickens can pick bits off through the wire, but the chickens cannot scratch the roots up. Or beans, the climbing/vine kind. Those leaves/stems are edible too. I'm not sure how well either one does in shade, but it only costs 1 packet of seed to find out (unless you have seed leftover from planting a garden--then it's free.)

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

Was there anything growing there 'before chickens'?

No