Will chickens tear up my yard???

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

The run space depends on how many chickens you decide to have. If you do let your chickens out, though, they most likely will tear up your garden and take dust baths in it. You can try putting a chickenwire fence around your garden and clipping your chicken's wings. They also eat grass, but it grows back green and lush in the spring due to their... ahem... "droppings".

I think that the best bet for your yard is to let them run around on the grass or stay in the run. Yes, chickens can be trained to stay off things. I've almost trained mine to stay off the patio by tossing them back onto the grass or patting their fluffy little butts ("spanking") whenever they go on the patio. And it works!

And about the grapes... chickens love grapes. So you will want to put netting around the vineyard or else the chickens will eat every one they can reach.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=444703&p=1
here's a thread that might be helpful to you

 

[armtonyt42]

Shop for a coop

 

[urbanchicksta]

We have 3 chickens and let mine free range 1-3 hours a day depending on how much damage they do. Our backyard is 50 x100 and it is grass with some gravel rock beds. They will tear it up but I've been reasonable with letting them forage, dust bathe and exercise. I herd them back in their coop and after a couple hours they seem to welcome the refuge. The most irritating thing that happens is poop on our patio and scratched gravel onto the lawn which I have to rake back periodically. All in all i try to balance happy hens and a yard that looks somewhat decent. I also give them discarded greens from the grocery store which helps satiate their appetite for lawn. So far this works for us as we have a two level 3x4 chicken coop and don't want to make it seem like more of an offending structure by attaching a covered run. ( neighbors are close).


Good luck with your plan

 

[Moabite]

I love to let them roam the yard for a couple hours when I can, but they scratch dirt and mulch out of each and every nook and cranny and poop on everything. So I put them back in their coop while I still have time to clean up after them. Chicken poo is great fertilizer but it is no fun cleaning it out of your shoes or tracking it into your house. Their destruction to your yard is accumulative, so your yard can recover if you rotate where your chickens are scratching. It kinda helps you keep things freshened up too, because you have to go and fix little areas where they have been working. They love piles of leaves and compost, they'll turn it over for you and eat lots of bugs.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

frow and

from Ohio. So glad you joined. Lots of great advice.

 

[Desert Rooster]

Hello

from Hesperia, Ca and

 

[M To The Maxx]

 

[gardeningsis]

Yes they will I let mine out only when I am out with them. They know when I say "get out of there" to vacate that area. But they are good and I keep my plantings about 2 feet away from the house foundation. That way they go behind the plants and do their dusting without causing much harm. However on my "special plants" I place a little green wire fence around it which the folage hides. I keep the area under my rainbarrels hoed up for them and that is usually where they head to first to dust. You will notice your spider and tick population drop they are a great organic bug killer.

 

[Double-0 Chicken]

I have 8 ladies and they were free ranging during the days for about 4 months before they found my flower beds. I haven't had any flowers since then BUT they are totally worth it!!