Seeding Grass While Freeranging

[MudCop]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to my question, but looking for advice anyway.

I need to grass seed about 1/3 acre on my lot as a result of construction. My yard is currently pure mud. Grass seed is very expensive and I'm pretty sure my chickens will eat every spec of it I lay down.

I have 4 adult chickens and 10 new chicks. I've always let them free range 100% of the time. I'm on a 1 ac lot, surrounded by infinite wheat fields. They spend a lot of time in the wheat before it gets too tall.

Is there anything I can do to hide the seed or deter them in some select areas directly adjacent to my house? Fencing them out isn't really an option. I'm thinking a thick layer of hay over the seed would be easiest, but I think they would find all the seed if I did that. Or getting some dry soil and spreading that over the seed. Or even compost from the landfill. Would they be able to dig through the cover material and eat all my seed? I don't want to go through a bunch of effort to cover the seed up if they'll still be able to dig it all up. My only other option is to build a run for them and keep them penned up all spring, which I really don't want to do.

 

[nuthatched]

Building a run is best considering you have snack sized peeps running around.

 

[MudCop]

The peeps are inside currently. It's a good point though. I'll have to have them in a run for around a month once it's warm enough prior to letting them run around. Mainly due to the 4 teenage cats I have running around. I can pen the 4 adults during that time too. The seed will sprout during that time. I just hate having them in a run because of the amount of food I have to buy and extra maintenance. Once the seed is sprouted I think I'll be ok since there's so much other stuff to eat.

See, told you I knew the answer.

 

[aart]

I'm thinking a thick layer of hay over the seed would be easiest, but I think they would find all the seed if I did that. Or getting some dry soil and spreading that over the seed.

Use a thin layer of straw after seeding. Hay is more likely to have seeds and it will sprout.
The seed should be raked into the soil so it's mostly covered anyway.

Yeah, you knew the answer, keep them off of it until it's well established, like once it's strong enough to mow.

 

[Mrs. K]

to be honest - there is a darn good chance they are going to dig it up even once it starts growing if you let them out all the time. Those fresh roosts are what they really love, and they can dig.

I would cover it with a woven wire, so they can't scratch. But really, a beautiful manicured lawn and free range chickens do not go well together.

 

[azygous]

Your chickens have the ability to scratch up and consume every last grass seed. Might as well just feed the grass seed to them and save yourself the work of sowing it and raking and mulching.

Fencing the chickens out is the only way grass will grow. Have you heard of plastic deer netting?