Will grass grow in the chicken run in the spring?

[AAJ]

This pass fall I planted grass seeds in half of my chicken run and then ran wire through the middle of it to keep the chickens out. I am wondering if it will grow in the spring or will it die.

 

[TaylorHobbyFarms]

I would assume it would grow.

 

[claudicles]

Why are you worried it will die? A chicken run should be a great environment for growing a grassy crop, if the chickens are kept away for long enough of course. Chicken poop is high in nitrogen which suits leafy crops well. There are lots of other variables of course and none of us can comment on them without more info. There needs to be adequate moisture. It needs to be an appropriate grass seed for your climate. Inadequate drainage could be a problem. Presumably you haven't let the chickens onto the area to eat the seeds and no other birds have been having a go at it, and also you'll need to protect it until the grass is established. Little green shoots of grass would be heaven for chickens to graze on and would quickly be destroyed. Once it is established your chickens will make short work of it anyway likely.

 

[Blue Ridge Hillbilly]

Unless it is a large land to chicken ratio the chickens will devour it in fairly short order. Chickens will work it over and eat ever green sprout of grass. Maybe that is your goal which will be very good for the chickens. Good luck.

 

[jaj121159]

Unless you scrape the poop out of it on a daily or weekly basis, the ground is going to be sterile. Chicken poop is "Hot". A high amount of salt in the poop will kill most seeds and not allow them to germinate. Ground under chicken poop stockpiles next to a field will be sterile for up to three years after the poop is removed. There might be some places in a run that doesn't get a lot of poop that may grow some grass, but overall it will be spotty.

 

[California_Redneck]

It will grow as long as the chickens aren't in the run. They will devour all the grass in short order. If the run is large enough, maybe block a section off to allow grass to grow, then rotate to give the other section a chance.