# how to keep grass in chicken run?



## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

I have a large chicken run that the chickens have long since taken out all the grass. I would like to be able to keep grass in the run. I was thinking of running the tiller around then laying chicken wire pinned down on the dirt then sowing grass seed,clover, cover with hay/straw. What do you think?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Forcast said:


> I have a large chicken run that the chickens have long since taken out all the grass. I would like to be able to keep grass in the run. I was thinking of running the tiller around then laying chicken wire pinned down on the dirt then sowing grass seed,clover, cover with hay/straw. What do you think?


If the chickens are in there----they will eat the seed before they get a chance to sprout. You could prep the soil, sow seeds, then place wire a few inches above the ground-----so the chickens can not get to the seed/sprouts----as the grass grows up through the wire the chickens will keep it mowed for you. 

I have my yard in different sections---I plant/replant grass then when it gets to growing good I open the door allowing the chickens into this area for a few minutes per day---then I put them back in the unplanted section. If I allowed them to stay in that area----they would dig up and eat all the grass.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

yup chickens are hard on grass in a run- even our chicken yard is completely bare- even though they go out the back of it (gap in the fence) to free range in the pasture from sunup to sundown.... Home is bare dirt, they do like to dust bathe!


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

You can put grazing frames down.

They can snack on the tips each day, have oats or barley planted here, but it's not much really. 









You can see they keep the edge of the run fence trimmed nicely by sticking their head thru the fence making it easy to mow there, tho it can be a predator risk. My runs are inside another perimeter fence.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

ok so I would need to place wood runners with small opening wire cloth on top? I was thinking I would have to keep the chickens out until the grass was established so the roots are grown in? Or do you think even with an inch or so off the ground the birds would pull the grass out not just eat the tops off?
I was thinking that the scratching was what took out the grass, thats why I was thinking chicken wire ( and the cost of chicken wire is way less than 1/4 inch wire cloth) on frames, that the birds could not scratch it out. I would make 2 ft by what every long, leave some bare dirt then another 2 by whatever long strip and so on, fence off and let grow. I remember reading about keeping cats out of flower beds by having chicken wire under the ground.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

I think Aart has the best idea. They have green stuff to forage and they aren't on wire where they can't scratch. The rotating runs is a good plan too but a lot of people don't have that much room.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Forcast said:


> ok so I would need to place wood runners with small opening wire cloth on top? I was thinking I would have to keep the chickens out until the grass was established so the roots are grown in? Or do you think even with an inch or so off the ground the birds would pull the grass out not just eat the tops off?
> I was thinking that the scratching was what took out the grass, thats why I was thinking chicken wire ( and the cost of chicken wire is way less than 1/4 inch wire cloth) on frames, that the birds could not scratch it out. _*I would make 2 ft by what every long, leave some bare dirt then another 2 by whatever long strip and so on, fence off and let grow.*_ I remember reading about keeping cats out of flower beds by having chicken wire under the ground.


I think this is a viable concept to use in part of a run, they still need an area to scratch/dust bathe, may even try it myself when I extend my main run. My only concern would be that they could damage their feet(cut>infection>bumble foot) trying to scratch the wired area, especially if there were any sharp wires sticking up. Hmmmm, maybe use chicken wire on a frame and put it _upside down_ on the ground. So the edges of the wire are covered by the frame and the wire itself it on the ground instead of 3 inches high.

BTW I used 1/2" HC on the grazing frame posted above and have another frame with 1x2 fencing to try with larger leaved plants....but I really think it doesn't offer them much in the way of volume of greens, I still bring weeds, leaves, garden scraps etc to them and they chow them down. I removed one smaller frame and they totally tore up the greenery down to dirt in less than an hour, but it was planted grain, not 'lawn' grass.


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## justusnak (Jul 24, 2011)

aart, that is a great idea. I have been wanting to put one in my Bantam runs. Our large fowl are allowed to free range on days I am home. ( most days) So I don't worry about them getting enough greens. I plan to go with a foot wide...and the length of the yard for the Bantams.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Or you can plant browse plants into 5 gal buckets or even a wagon and let them have at it for a bit each day.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

aart said:


> I think this is a viable concept to use in part of a run, they still need an area to scratch/dust bathe, may even try it myself when I extend my main run. My only concern would be that they could damage their feet(cut>infection>bumble foot) trying to scratch the wired area, especially if there were any sharp wires sticking up. Hmmmm, maybe use chicken wire on a frame and put it _upside down_ on the ground. So the edges of the wire are covered by the frame and the wire itself it on the ground instead of 3 inches high.
> 
> BTW I used 1/2" HC on the grazing frame posted above and have another frame with 1x2 fencing to try with larger leaved plants....but I really think it doesn't offer them much in the way of volume of greens, I still bring weeds, leaves, garden scraps etc to them and they chow them down. I removed one smaller frame and they totally tore up the greenery down to dirt in less than an hour, but it was planted grain, not 'lawn' grass.


******************************************************
*****cutting feet THATS why I was thinking of tiling some long runs of ground, wire pinned to the ground, then dirt over that with logs or 2x4s frame to keep dirt in the frame/box. I am not about to drag buckets or wagons around. I am looking a 12' x 2' grass boxes around the fence line just keep building boxes till I have the fence line ringed. I have 26 new chicks jersey giants and duff orpintons, first day out in their run. 28 big jersey giants and buff orpingtons . I cant let mine free range because of the neighbors free range dogs! and the day time fox that sits in the yard like she belongs here or something. My cat fights with her if she gets too close.

I am having a problem with a one year old rooster, he is a mistake, mom is buff orpinton dad is jersey giant, he is a beautiful bird huge and sweet except to his father he beats the poop out of him, so I have had to divide the pens, and large coop 12x8', the buff have a house and run, jerseys have one, and babies have one. what a pain in the butt but it is working, but I have the jersey giant rooster in with the buffs and he and the buff rooster are best buds. Not sure what to do with mistake he is in with the jersey giant girls. I guess I will have to make a coop and run just for him. I know many cull but I dont I hatched them so I feel I need to care for them. And if this set up works then next spring when I breed for hatch and sell chicks I can have the right birds in the right place for breeding right? I have the black, blue and just got some white jersey giants. so they can be in one run and coop, I have 3 buffs they are 3 years old I just bought the neighbors 9 buff chciks that she bought a few weeks ago and decided she did not what them.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Forcast said:


> ******************************************************
> *****cutting feet THATS why I was thinking of tiling some long runs of ground, _wire pinned to the ground*, then dirt over that*_ with logs or 2x4s frame to keep dirt in the frame/box. ......


 I think the wire has to be at the surface to keep them from killing the plants. If you bury the wire they end up digging down to it anyway, and the plants roots may be above the wire.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

If you use a good "wire" for them to walk on they will not cut their feet. I am planning to experiment with this http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft to see how it works. Sure it cost up front but each panel can be cut into several pieces for several boxes and it will last a long, long time. I am also going to experiment with chainlink gates/panels to see if they can walk on it without hurting their feet.


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

i put a lot of fall leaves in the run, and in no time it is shredded and great leaf mold, also throw in a lot of grass in weeds , i use that dirt for my flower pots and also in the garden... i have divided it and grew grass in one side then switched it..it lasted probably two days...lol


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Fire-Man said:


> If you use a good "wire" for them to walk on they will not cut their feet. I am planning to experiment with this http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft to see how it works. Sure it cost up front but each panel can be cut into several pieces for several boxes and it will last a long, long time. I am also going to experiment with chainlink gates/panels to see if they can walk on it without hurting their feet.


_That _will be interesting! I would think their feet would go right thru the openings, how high off the ground will the panels be? Please do post pics when you get them built.


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## Guest (Jul 31, 2014)

I stumbled across a video that goes good with this topic.

[YOUTUBE]BzSKcj481pc[/YOUTUBE]


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks thats a good idea. What I have started is 1x3's 8 feet long 2 wide, some 4 ft wide. with 1/4 in wire cloth on top. I had the 1x3's but not sure it will be deep enough. And I sowed mixed seeds, rape, wheat, buck wheat grass clover seven different kinds of seed. they all have green showing but I fenced them off so the chickens didnt just pull it all out when it was young.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

frame for seed bed


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

day 3 seeds


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Forcast said:


> Thanks thats a good idea. What I have started is 1x3's 8 feet long 2 wide, some 4 ft wide. with 1/4 in wire cloth on top. I had the 1x3's but not sure it will be deep enough. And I sowed mixed seeds, rape, wheat, buck wheat grass clover seven different kinds of seed. they all have green showing but I fenced them off so the chickens didnt just pull it all out when it was young.


The 2 1/2" of the 1x3 should work OK. I actually think the 3 1/2" of a 2x4 might be too high and partially buried one of mine. You could always put a few bricks under it, or screw on some short legs, if it proves to be too short.

The 1/4" mesh might be too small tho, especially for the clover.

Good move fencing them out of it until the roots are strongly established. 

Do keep this thread updated as you go along.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

I put down some 1" stone/gravel, so I had a pad to put the hen house on. Rest was spread out in the hen house yard.

Have so much grass in the Pen, DH has to keep it mowed! Think the rocks slow them down. This doesn't show the whole yard, but it gives you an idea how it is working.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

gravel would have never thought of that. will try an area with gravel and seed it with some seed and see what happens. 

I did make one of the frames with inch chicken wire and one with inch plastic chicken wire. 
I will keep up dating as we go.
thanks all!


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

seed frames day 7


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

oh well got 2 of the same photo up sorry


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

seeds day 7


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