Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: viettaclark on March 29, 2011, 19:31

Title: Hens on grass
Post by: viettaclark on March 29, 2011, 19:31

I had a blinding flash of reasoning today. 8)
When we got our girls 2 years ago I had them on the lawn with their large covered run and moved them about every week or two so the grass could regrow. They were out all afternoon/evening but there was still alot of damage done to the area in the coop (still got a couple of bare patches!) They also had a go at eating anything green which meant attractive chicken wire all over the place.
Since last Summer they have been down the bottom of the garden under the trees (which is a pain going up and down when it's wet/icy) on a leaf litter and earth base which I top up with bark.
This has worked really well! I only move them every 3/4 months (to rest the soil) because it doesn't get mucky/smelly and they have a fine time scratching in the dirt and leaves and doing no damage.
I have found that because they aren't on grass that's the first thing they want to eat when they get out.(And eat and eat and eat...) There are also plenty of home-grown greens for them. I tried removing the chicken wire and my plants have remained unpecked and my grass is nicely mowed!
Of course it might be due to them growing up a bit....
Hmmm....just noticed they've razed a pot of foxgloves. Maybe they're gearing up for a mad assault.. :ohmy:

Title: Re: Hens on grass
Post by: jinty1911 on March 29, 2011, 19:43

I have decided to stick to hanging backets this year, if I even bother.  Prefer to sit in garden and watch the chooks and climbing over chicken wire to water said baskets  doesn't appeal at the moment.  Anyway who needs flowers when who have pretty chicks to look at?  :lol:  :lol:

Title: Re: Hens on grass
Post by: evie2 on March 29, 2011, 19:51

I like to think our chooks are helping with the redesigning of our garden  ::):lol: 

Title: Re: Hens on grass
Post by: Oakdalebirds1 on March 29, 2011, 20:48

viettaclark

can you not place hard cage wire on the bottem of the run thus preventing hens from scratching grass up but still letting them eat ??

Title: Re: Hens on grass
Post by: viettaclark on March 29, 2011, 23:00

I think this arrangement suits us all! The girls love to dig and can, to their hearts' content, and I get more space on the chicken-mowed lawn to sit and enjoy them and less chicken wire to look at/reconnoiter!
Still got it round the veg though....

Title: Re: Hens on grass
Post by: Sassy on March 31, 2011, 18:09

In their natural environment chooks live on the forest floor so they should be very happy indeed :)