Will I ever have a decent lawn since I got chickens?

[RedheadErin]

They make such pretty lawn ornaments, I hate to pen them up. Other people in the area have both chickens and grass. How can I solve this dilemma and save my marriage?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Part of the answer is density, how many chickens do you have on how much ground. I'm not going to try to give you any hard and fast numbers because it depends on your climate as to how many chickens your yard could support. So maybe reduce the number of chickens if it is now a problem.

Another possible solution, only let them out a limited amount of time. Keep them locked up most of the day.

Mine have plenty of space, but they have a few areas they scratch up for dust baths. I don't think you will ever stop that, but if they are in the run a good part of the day, maybe those dust bath areas would be inside the run. I also have to put small fences around anything I mulch. They really love to scratch through the mulch looking for creepy crawlies. And I have my garden fully fenced in.

 

[lesa]

My simple answer is "no". Sorry! If you allow chickens unlimited access to a lawn area, they will surely ruin it. As Ridgerunner mentions- if you have 3 acres and one chicken, you should be fine! Unless you have all kinds of acreage I would expect the chickens to ruin your lawn. I would find a way to pen them up- and let them out, for short periods of time. I have about 1/4 acre of my land dedicated to my chickens- and believe me when I tell there is not a green thing that grows there! We call it the "moonscape"!

 

[vfem]

My simple answer is "no". Sorry! If you allow chickens unlimited access to a lawn area, they will surely ruin it. As Ridgerunner mentions- if you have 3 acres and one chicken, you should be fine! Unless you have all kinds of acreage I would expect the chickens to ruin your lawn. I would find a way to pen them up- and let them out, for short periods of time. I have about 1/4 acre of my land dedicated to my chickens- and believe me when I tell there is not a green thing that grows there! We call it the "moonscape"!

Exactly! We have an acre and I have to keep my chickens penned. However, I will let them out for short periods at the end of the day for a couple of hours now and then. They enjoy the freedom, and my lawn is still green.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I think it also depends on the type of grass. The run that my girls share with the goats is about 30'x50' and it is fine. Actually it's the best looking part of the property (because the goats have eaten all the weeds!) It is in a field that has a mix of native perennial grasses that the previous owner used to cut for hay. I doubt it would survive if it was a more pampered lawn grass.

 

[swampducks]

I think it depends on what you consider decent?

And if your spouse is worried about the lawn, he needs a new hobby. What fun is there in mowing the lawn anyway? Tripping over chicken potholes in a yard resembling the lunar landscape is much more entertaining! And keeps you nimble!

 

[skeeter9]

Probably not! But, hey, the little monsters are so worth a scratched up lawn, rosebushes that are "pruned" up about 18 inches, dust-bath holes where there used to be annuals, poop-covered walkways, etc, etc.!! I guess that's the price we pay for the wonderful eggs they work so hard to lay for us. Silly things. . . . .

 

[catjac1975]

If you are a tick prone area at least you won't have ticks.

 

[swampducks]

If you are a tick prone area at least you won't have ticks.

And even fewer ticks if you get some guineas. PLUS, you get the opportunity to watch them run along your rooftop, leaving guinea poo. Sure to be another spouse pleaser!!

 

[secuono]

This is old, but I had to weigh in. I have 10 birds in a 150x150 area, row of pine trees where only needles fall and wild strawberries grow. Then around the coop there is one mature sycamore. Around buildings, trees and other overhead protection, chickens will scratch and dust bathe in. The rest, open space, will be fairly safe from the birds.