Chickens have picked the area inside the run bare

[CharlesnBlue]

what can I plant to replace the grass in my run
the chickens have picked it bare
was thinking fescue and white clover

 

[GodLovesU]

I think they’ll probably just eat that too.

 

[townchicks]

Nothing will grow unless you remove the chickens. It's what they do.

 

[TooCheep]

Nothing will grow unless you remove the chickens. It's what they do.

Yup- between eating greens and scratching, any limited-size area will be stripped bare. Even when they free-range, they will still find areas to scratch and create dust-bathing holes. Just chickens being chickens.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

I'll often put last year's garden's leftover seeds down in the run (and also in raised beds in the run) and cover those areas temporarily with 2x4 welded wire scraps so the hens can't scratch around in there. As the seed begins to sprout, they eat that but can't decimate the area. It's fun and a good way to keep them entertained and provide supplemental goodies during times they can't free range.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I suggest adding a grazing frame or two. It's best to put some kind of bedding, like wood chips, in the rest of the run to keep the run from getting muddy and stinky.

 

[paintedChix]

You can also put up another run. Or split the one you have. Plant the fescue & clover (dandelions, thyme, radish, turnip, beet). Then rotate between them as they get "grazed down". Add grazing frames, as stated above - plant other seeds that can act as micro greens for more variety.

Here are links to to other posts I've made w/ lots of info, but pretty sure there's more here on BYC.

Post in thread 'Planting in the run' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/planting-in-the-run.1653400/post-28435161

- Post in thread 'Planting in the run' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/planting-in-the-run.1653400/post-28435206

-Post in thread 'Growing something in the run'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/growing-something-in-the-run.1589707/post-27075169

 

[CharlesnBlue]

Yup- between eating greens and scratching, any limited-size area will be stripped bare. Even when they free-range, they will still find areas to scratch and create dust-bathing holes. Just chickens being chickens.

 

[Debbie292d]

We have six breeding pens. Four are 5' x 10' pens with a private coop entrance for each. We toyed with planting something as it's newly constructed, and there was nothing there to begin with but gravel and weeds.

We just today found a sod place that sells a 2'x5' roll for $3.60. So 10 rolls is $36.00. We'll get a load of black topsoil hauled in, then run pick this up and set it in half of the pens, so they still have their dirt and dustbathing area.

It seems so cheap, and we're thinking if four/five chickens don't actually destroy it in a week, so it takes hold, great. We thought of building frames with HWC to cover half at a time, but at that price, we're thinking if they do destroy it, we'll just go get a few rolls for replacements.

We'll give this a try this year and see how it goes. The place should have sod May 1 so soon!

 

[nilifer]

We have six breeding pens. Four are 5' x 10' pens with a private coop entrance for each. We toyed with planting something as it's newly constructed, and there was nothing there to begin with but gravel and weeds.

We just today found a sod place that sells a 2'x5' roll for $3.60. So 10 rolls is $36.00. We'll get a load of black topsoil hauled in, then run pick this up and set it in half of the pens, so they still have their dirt and dustbathing area.

It seems so cheap, and we're thinking if four/five chickens don't actually destroy it in a week, so it takes hold, great. We thought of building frames with HWC to cover half at a time, but at that price, we're thinking if they do destroy it, we'll just go get a few rolls for replacements.

We'll give this a try this year and see how it goes. The place should have sod May 1 so soon!

Interested to hear how this goes! Please keep us posted!