Allotments 4 All

Our chickens currently have a enclosed run attached to their coop.

We are going to extend the run to make it twice as big, but this half will be open air (once we have clipped their wings) and we will use that part of the run when we are at the allotment. We were also thinking of turfing this area...would this be a bad idea? ie if the chickens eat the grass will it be bad for them?

How big an area are you thinking of turfing?

It wont do them any harm at all, but it will most likely just get wrecked by your girls!

We regularly used to 'returf' the large outer part of our chickens' run, in between chickens, just for their pleasure, as they so enjoyed scratching it all up.  But it certainly won't last, unless you only have two chickens and a very large area!

Quote from: notts_phil on May 03, 2012, 13:28:06
How big an area are you thinking of turfing?

It wont do them any harm at all, but it will most likely just get wrecked by your girls!

its about 8ft x 6ft that we were going to extend by and then turf.

Quote from: CambourneSandra on May 03, 2012, 13:32:30

Quote from: notts_phil on May 03, 2012, 13:28:06
How big an area are you thinking of turfing?

It wont do them any harm at all, but it will most likely just get wrecked by your girls!

its about 8ft x 6ft that we were going to extend by and then turf.

I would say save you money/time, we have a massive garden and 5 girls, they roam free and they still mess it up!

would a wildflower bed be safe enough for them if they eat any of it?

Quote from: CambourneSandra on May 03, 2012, 13:39:24
would a wildflower bed be safe enough for them if they eat any of it?

It really depends whats in it, we find our girls wont eat stuff they shouldnt, they are pretty good!,

Quote from: notts_phil on May 03, 2012, 13:42:20

Quote from: CambourneSandra on May 03, 2012, 13:39:24
would a wildflower bed be safe enough for them if they eat any of it?

It really depends whats in it, we find our girls wont eat stuff they shouldnt, they are pretty good!,

well what i dont want to happen is another mud bath for the poor girls. im not sure what is in the mix, as the packet just says wildflower mix.

Quote from: CambourneSandra on May 03, 2012, 13:32:30

Quote from: notts_phil on May 03, 2012, 13:28:06
How big an area are you thinking of turfing?

It wont do them any harm at all, but it will most likely just get wrecked by your girls!

its about 8ft x 6ft that we were going to extend by and then turf.

Let you chikens out in the morning for the 'new' turf and by mid-day its turned over.. ::) ;D

The grass won't harm them - the other way round, it won't last long at all!

Quote from: Copper Coin on May 11, 2012, 15:09:04
The grass won't harm them - the other way round, it won't last long at all!

My thoughts exactly!

Quote from: louise stella on May 12, 2012, 15:49:04

Quote from: Copper Coin on May 11, 2012, 15:09:04
The grass won't harm them - the other way round, it won't last long at all!

My thoughts exactly!

My thoughts too! In fact if you have any pernicious weeds (even those with underground root systems like couch grass & bindweed) your chooks will get rid of the lot.

Quote from: David K on May 13, 2012, 11:05:35

Quote from: louise stella on May 12, 2012, 15:49:04

Quote from: Copper Coin on May 11, 2012, 15:09:04
The grass won't harm them - the other way round, it won't last long at all!

My thoughts exactly!

My thoughts too! In fact if you have any pernicious weeds (even those with underground root systems like couch grass & bindweed) your chooks will get rid of the lot.

I beg to differ....

Give the girls a nice fresh lawn, they will ruin it, give them a flower bed they will decimate it, but give them an area you want clearing and they wont touch it.....

Typical girls!!, mine do exactly that

QuoteGive the girls a nice fresh lawn, they will ruin it, give them a flower bed they will decimate it, but give them an area you want clearing and they wont touch it.....

::)   ;D
You wants so chew some 'bark' when there is freshly 'baked bread' available...you girls obviously know what quality stuff is.. ;)  ...or they are lazy... ;D

You wants so chew some 'bark' when there is freshly 'baked bread' available...you girls obviously know what quality stuff is..  ...or they are lazy...

Just read my post..I must have been drunk or extremely tired with square eye when doing that many mistakes.. :o ::)

Should have said '' who want to chew....your girls..''

I would think it would last about 5 minutes!

Well my  chucks would reduce any piece of land to a moonscape in hours...In fact, I think they must have been JCBs in a previous life.

I re-turf my plot every year for my girls, I have 7 chucks and the grass usually last about 4 months but they have great fun eating it.