Whats a good cover crop for a chicken yard?

[GuineaFowling]

I grew a clover weed mix in my chicken yard and just today after three months of growth let the chickens in there. They destroyed it and pulled up a significant amount of the clover. I am thinking of reseeding soon.
What's a good cover crop that can withstand chickens and ducks? I assumed the clover was resilient and it looked quite dense and strong, but my small flock of hens and ducks were able to ravage it lol.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

To withstand that action, probably alfalfa and dandelions are the most resilient.

 

[Tonyroo]

Chickens love clovers. Weak plant won't last too long in the yard. Mine mows them down and makes bare spots, but it was for them anyway.

 

[swampfox440]

Rye grass can be grown and they can eat it, it's good for them It can also be turned under to boost the nitrogen in your garden and replanted often

 

[GuineaFowling]

Thank you @ChickenCanoe I will try dandelion and alfalfa next
@Tonyroo They sure loved it!! I grow it for them as well, but I would prefer not to have to reseed so often due to their foraging. Do you think it would do better once the roots are established?

@chickenfinder I might give rye a go. The hens havent caused any issues on my established lawn other than pooping all over it, so maybe grass might do better

 

[Tonyroo]

For clovers your better off letting it flower and seed itself before letting the chickens and ducks get at them. They'll just keep coming back like a weed if you can do that kind of rotation. It would be self sustaining. Make sure to have several plots of clovers to run the rotation.

 

[GuineaFowling]

For clovers your better off letting it flower and seed itself before letting the chickens and ducks get at them. They'll just keep coming back like a weed if you can do that kind of rotation. It would be self sustaining. Make sure to have several plots of clovers to run the rotation.

Hmmm that makes sense. I'll fence off the area and allow the remaining clover to flower and reseed with some other crops in the spring. The hens are not gonna be happy now that they've got a taste of it

 

[Acre4Me]

Type of clover might matter too. We seeded a yellow clover as a cover crop to turn under this spring before it flowered. This clover is common as a cover crop, and often used for pollinators. It is a tall clover..not short like others. We had done get missed by the tiller and when we went to pull them out, it was hard to do..roots were pretty strong.

but another method is to use a wire frame Over the plants. Chickens can walk on frame and eat plants, but cannot scratch it up. Fence them out for awhile to regrow. You could make them all same size and make a few moveable fences to use where needed around the raised frames.

 

[GuineaFowling]

Type of clover might matter too. We seeded a yellow clover as a cover crop to turn under this spring before it flowered. This clover is common as a cover crop, and often used for pollinators. It is a tall clover..not short like others. We had done get missed by the tiller and when we went to pull them out, it was hard to do..roots were pretty strong.

but another method is to use a wire frame Over the plants. Chickens can walk on frame and eat plants, but cannot scratch it up. Fence them out for awhile to regrow. You could make them all same size and make a few moveable fences to use where needed around the raised frames.

Thanks! I'll look into yellow clover, and the wire frame idea might just be what I need

 

[Compost King]

I try to grow white dutch clover on my lawn and have it over take grass. Chicken end up making both disappear. If I were to be serious about growing clover as cover crop I would be using a rotating paddock system. If that is not feasible to a situation do what @Acre4Me suggested. I know that works because I have grown grass, clover, wheat etc etc like micro greens in plant starter trays and built a cage out of rabbit cage materials so the plants could sprout up high enough for chickens to eat but not completely deplete. It doesn't last forever with my method but plants in the ground will be a perpetual feeding... at least in spring and summer.