jnb Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 My hens are in a reasonable size run which I move every two or three days so they have regular fress ground and grass. But in those two or three days they are almost guaranteed to scratch a hole in the lawn to make a dustbath for themselves. Any alternatives I could offer them which might dissuade them from attacking the lawn? (Though I might just build a walk in run and have done with all the moving them about business) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annettec Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I have to admit that is exactly what we ended up doing and it is soooooo much easier and the garden looks great. We provided them with a tyre filled with soil and ash from the fire and they love it In the mean time pre WIR you could buy a plastic box or i bought a shallow soft plastic bucket meant for gardening I think and fill that with lovely dry soil mine loved it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Mine have a large plastic tub of sand/compost in their run, They dig and bath in that. Chickens are good fertilising at getting weeds out of lawn but monkeys for making bare patches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsin Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I've gone for a fixed position for my Eglu and run as my garden is quite small and I want the lawn nice and lush for my son to play on. So I put it on the bare patch at the back that I wasn't sure what to do with, and have put bark chippings down that I poo pick every couple of days and completely replace every weekend to keep it attractive and healthy for my girls. I think it makes a nice feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickyhazel Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 We have a "chicken garden" which is a wrecked area of mud, and the main garden which the chickens acn only FR in for a small time each day and still has a nice lawn. We separate the "chicken garden" using chicken netting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Our chicken garden is 12metres x 3 metres but they still object & end up FR'ing all evening. I have to toughen up Axx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 We have a "chicken garden" which is a wrecked area of mud, and the main garden which the chickens acn only FR in for a small time each day and still has a nice lawn. We separate the "chicken garden" using chicken netting same here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickiepiggies Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 my grass belongs to my chickens i love watching them free range in my little garden so we sectioned it off in front of our decking with some pretty picket type stuff. we do have to section small areas at a time with bambo if they wreck a section but it doesnt take long to repair and grow back we have our space they have there's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
