what to grow in my run for my chickens to eat

[dustbust]

I have a 15 x 15' run for 4 chickens. In 2 months they have eaten everything to dirt. I keep pulling dandilions from my yard to throw in for greens but I would like to be able to grow something in there that might sustain them. So basically a ground cover thats editable that grows really fast and is tough.

Id be open to anything like clover, or any fast growing veggies they can pick from.

Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

Frankly? we all need three runs. One growing the cover, one the birds are in, and one recovering from the birds being in there.

Short of a rotation plan such as this, nothing is going to work. If the chickens still have access, it is dug, disturbed, pecked bare, scratched, trampled and ...... I don't care what you plant in it. Rotational systems are the only way to go. I honestly think 4 runs is even more realistic. If there isn't room to build rotational pens, I don't hold out a whole lot of hope.

 

[Nslangton]

Good luck with that, I do not know one chicken owner whose run is not dirt. I have planted several edible plants and vegetables around my run for the chickens to eat. We harvest a little each day for them. If they would have full access to the plants, they would be gone within the day. We let zucchini and cucumbers grow extra large in our garden and feed the chickens with these also. If you have success with anything growing in your run, Please let all of us know what the secret is.

 

[En Plein Air Farms]

If you can't free range, and if you don't use chemicals on your lawn, give them a bag of grass from the lawnmower to kick through and nibble.
Good luck! they do love their greens!
You can also think kitchen scraps from fruit and vegetables.
I get .20 cent a loaf seedy brown breads from the Franz bakery outlet. a couple slices of that chunked up is really good for them.

Here is a link to pictures of the roller toys I made them
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ng-feed-out-of-hanging-feeder/20#post_9359608

 

[dustbust]

Has anybody tried cat grass? I grew some for my cats and it grew in like 2 days it was rediculous. The cats ate it and it kept coming back. I wonder how that would do if you could get it in bulk.

Otherwise it sounds like im SOL. Im thinking growing veggies around the fence might be the way to go. Maybe like pole beans or grapes.

 

[Sylvestor12]

You might want to plant alfalfa, or if you can let them run around in new places for a while each day.

 

[Sylvestor12]

it would help a bit

 

[ButchGood]

I keep 2 runs. One is a 27x27 run under a huge hackberry tree. That's the summer/spring run. The other is actually my garden.Its 50 x25 attached to a circular garden 30 ft in diameter. They also free range all day every day. When the 27x27 run is empty I'll plant greens like Swiss chard, spinach, kale. I also seed it with rye mixed with Texas natural grass. It gets good a green even in the winter if we don't have a hard freeze. By the time the chickens get back in it in the spring when its time to plant the garden, its full of good eats for them. Of course in 6 weeks its down to dirt. When they're in the garden they get all the leftovers. kill the bugs and spread fertilizer. Nice trade.

 

[poultrypharmer]

Having that same problem. We used to let ours free range everyday while we were home, but due to the neighbors dog thinking my yard is a buffet, we can no longer due that. Everytime we cut grass, we throw the clippings in the run and they love it, along with some bugs that are hiding.

 

[janinepeters]

Your run is much too small to keep anything green. If that is all the space you can give them, I would throw in vegetable and fruit scraps, weeds from the garden, etc., as often as possible, to give them something to pick at.