emmat Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Hello all Just wondered if anyone has any ideas for me... we're about to re-seed our lawn (when I saw lawn I mean dust pit) after another winter bashing from my 3 girls. Last year we put up a flexi-fence all the way round the lawn to keep them off it but it's such an eye-sore. Does anyone else have any good ideas about how to keep them off the area (which runs down the middle strip of my garden)? I was thinking of some kind of netting we could pin over the lawn that they wouldn't climb on. Or am I wishful thinking?? Any help appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I cannot think of anything that would not be an eyesore. unless you used turf instead of seed??? It would be over and done much quicker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmat Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 True... but it still needs protecting a bit while it beds down. Why do chickens ruin the lawn? Can we evolve them not to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 We used the omlet netting to protect our new turf. At least being green it wasn't too obtrusive, and as was turf, didn't have to stay up too long - although we are using it long term to protect the veggies as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmat Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Didn't your girls just rake up the new turf as soon as they were let back on it? Our 'new lawn' last year was gone within a week of them getting near it! Our garden is a funny shape, as is the lawn and the bit where the chooks are, it's just a flipping palaver to keep them off it as it means we can't get from one end of the space to the other. Ah well - we better get 'chicken prison' back out! It's like the omlet one but homemade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Didn't your girls just rake up the new turf as soon as they were let back on it? Our 'new lawn' last year was gone within a week of them getting near it! quote] Not yet!! But they are only out for a couple of hours at the most in the evening, as we are out at work all day so they are confined to their run. So they don't get too much time to cause much damage... Famous last words!! They have "cut" the new garss for us, but that is all - so far!! They are more interested in raking through the soil a lot of the time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmat Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Ours are also run dwellers during the day. I am hoping once the seed grows it'll be ok as they jusy have a few hours in the evening and weekends. It's just if we let them out there on a wet day the grass is gone in a matter of moments. Pesky little critters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I've just had a new turf lawn laid . I've confined the girls to the flowerbeds with Omlet netting (brilliant stuff, you can hardly see it ). I'm not sure I'll ever let them on the grass. I'm getting more netting to give them the run of the whole flowerbed. They will eat whatever they can reach . I'm hoping it grows back . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I think you are right emmat. Chicken prison We reseeded a patch of lawn and the girls rush over to it to dig it up. I've put some old trellis over it (but then the new grass doesn't grow properly) and also load of twigs I collected from a beech tree in my garden that sheds loads of twigs. But even then, they jump on the twigs and destroy the seed. So prison it is.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telechookies Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Just a quick question what height is the omlet chicken netting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Just a quick question what height is the omlet chicken netting? Roughly a tad under 4 foot high. When my chooks first arrived they could clear 4ft easily. Now they are heavier and older (and also not a particularily flighty breed) they don't get over the Omlet netting unless I put a convenient launch pad too close (like the eglu or the compost bin). I have been very happy with my Omlet netting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
