[colliebird]

I've got quite a big park for my hens and have separated it into 2 parks to rotate usage, so the grass can grow in one while the hens use the other.

My question is:  how do you clean the soiled park?  They've eaten most of the grass and there's poo everywhere.

Do I just leave it and let nature take it's course?
What seeds should I sow on it to renew?
   :cherry:

[Bodger]

Depending on your situation, I'd be inclined to get the area dug over and get some crop into it.
PS I said crop, you'll already have plenty of the other stuff.

[colliebird]

What sort of crop?  The run is only going to be used for the hens as the hen house has 2 pop holes, each leading into separate runs.

As for digging over........ there's no way I could do that myself.  I had
looked at a Mantis Tiller, but they are expensive, and the reason I've got hens and growing my own veg etc, is to save money!

Any suggestions? (staying polite of course   )

[nnbreeder]

I would sow in either Wheat or Rye, that is if you can get it there. Millet is a good summer crop as is Vetch, Clover or Alfalfa. Both Wheat and Rye will grow until a very hard freeze and will over winter very well. It will go dormant but it will maintain it's green succulence all through winter.

[woodburner]

Is the grass all gone then? A light forking over is probably all it needs. The only time I use a spade is to chuck the soil from the paths onto the beds, or digging holes to plant stuff, and I'm more likely to use a trowel for that. just break it up a bit with a fork, bashing the bigger lumps as you go, then rake it roughly level and scatter wheat or whatever.
If there's a decent amount of grass left, just let nature take it's course. Maybe scatter seed over the barest patches.

nnbreeder, isn't it too late to sow alfalfa?

[colliebird]

About 2/3rds of the grass has been scratched up and there's just soil and a couple of "sand holes" that I made for the hens to "bathe" in.  The rest of the grass is about 2mm

I managed to find a bag of mixed seed this morning, with clover, alfalfa, rye and different other seeds.  I've raked a bit and sown the seeds.  I'll let you know if it germinates before the big frosts, though I was told it will germinate quite quickly.  Hmmm

 :flower:

[Roughlee Handled]

I would sow in either Wheat or Rye, that is if you can get it there. Millet is a good summer crop as is Vetch, Clover or Alfalfa. Both Wheat and Rye will grow until a very hard freeze and will over winter very well. It will go dormant but it will maintain it's green succulence all through winter.

I like that idea nnbreeder. The rye one that is.

[woodburner]

About 2/3rds of the grass has been scratched up and there's just soil and a couple of "sand holes" that I made for the hens to "bathe" in.  The rest of the grass is about 2mm

I managed to find a bag of mixed seed this morning, with clover, alfalfa, rye and different other seeds.  I've raked a bit and sown the seeds.  I'll let you know if it germinates before the big frosts, though I was told it will germinate quite quickly.  Hmmm

 :flower:

Sounds perfect. It'll have to germinate really fast to beat the frost though, if the weather forecast is right, it'll be frost Saturday, light frost maybe tonight even.  :shock:  Maybe cover with fleece? I've never used the stuff against frosst myself.

[nnbreeder]

A field just North of me was sown last Friday and although the plants are not really leafy yet hey they are about four inches tall and that is Hard red Winter Wheat. The ones that graze out cattle will sow 90 lbs per acre and wait close to 60 days before grazing.

[colliebird]

Hey, what time is it in Oklahoma?  It's 2am here in the UK (and I should be in bed instead of working on this durned machine)

Zzzzzzzzzzz

[nnbreeder]

8;08pm on Thursday!