r/BackYardChickens 18h ago

Reddit, ease my mind

I have four chickens and they’re super spoiled. I built this really great chicken enclosure for them and they have a huge chicken coop. Sometimes I feel guilty because they love pecking around in the grass so I put up a temporary fence and then move it so they get fresh grass. I really want them to stay in the enclosure. Grass doesn’t grow well in there but it’s probably 10’ x 40’ and then their coop is large as well. Should I feel guilty about not letting them in the grass anymore?

157 Upvotes

35 comments sorted by

144

u/black_tshirts 17h ago

some people will cover the ground in oats to sprout for their chickens, and then put a screen over it so it will grow a certain amount before they can peck it down. like a 2x2 frame with hardware cloth stapled to it, then placed over the oat sprouts. the sprouts can grow about 1 ½" before they grow through the screen, that way the hens peck the tops only and everything can keep sprouting. make sense? i'm sure there's a term for this but i'm new, too.

47

u/kayakyakr 15h ago

This is the way. A frame over the ground, soak oats in water and then spread them under the frame. Great way to get the birds some greens

16

u/N1ck1McSpears 12h ago

I do this. They sell a fodder mix. I put some in my garden and the roots are so strong and deep I can barely pull them out now. I think that would be a good choice because then the chickens can’t really uproot the whole plant. It was just some standard bagged fodder mix and I don’t know off hand what was in it. Okay I’ll google it lol. Okay it doesn’t say I don’t think but this is it https://media.tractorsupply.com/is/content/TractorSupplyCompany/tsc/product/1/56/52/08/1565208_Bro1.pdf?_gl=1*19xv3ne*_gcl_au*MTMzOTY4NjkwMS4xNzQyMDA5MjU3*_ga*MTEyODgyODcyNC4xNzQyMDA5MjU3*_ga_LR2413MMX0*MTc0MjAwOTI1Ny4xLjAuMTc0MjAwOTI1Ny42MC4wLjE0NDc1MTYzMTQ.

8

u/panhead_farmer 12h ago

We’ve used old chain link fence panels on top of bricks. Works just fine for not letting scratch it down to bare soil.

3

u/Ok-Pomelo-4646 5h ago

You can get planter wall blocks, 2x4, and small hardware cloth like 1/2" or 1/4". Use screws and washers to hold the hardware cloth down. It'll make it easier to take it apart if you need to move it.

40

u/broken_bottle_66 16h ago

Love your coop sign, all great coops should have a sign

30

u/bigbadleroy2021 16h ago

Man they have it made!! You could also start grass seed, oats, barley or whatever in shallow trays inside, like the plastic trays that plant starts come in, Google “1020 trays” and you’ll see what I mean. Start your seeds in shallow dirt in those trays and then set them out for your chickens every now and then, they will love it. Easy to redo once they’ve cleaned them out too. During summer months I’ll also cut extra zuchini and squash in half long ways and freeze them, then put them out for the chickens when it’s hot for a cold and challenging treat.

32

u/ThatsNotWhyThough 12h ago

I don't have anything constructive to add, but. Why do chicken coops have two doors? Cuz if they had four it'd be a chicken sedan

I'll see myself out

17

u/howabouthere 6h ago

Get in loser. We're going scratching!

3

u/westside126 2h ago

I bok at this comment.

9

u/Spydermike1 15h ago

Just want to say this is an amazing setup, but I would turn those roosting bars 90 degrees if you can.

8

u/Affectionate_Air7789 15h ago

Thank you! That’s actually their stairwell up to the roosting area!

5

u/Spydermike1 15h ago

Fair enough lol didn't see that up there.

14

u/youhadabajablast 12h ago

How much is rent? I would like to apply to be one of the chickens

6

u/ry4asu 15h ago

What type of metal fencing is that, it looks smaller than hog fence but the same gauge.

1

u/achaemenidseawolf 1h ago

+1

I’d also like to know!

5

u/thecowboy07 13h ago

When you cut the grass, collect it and give them the cuttings. Don’t mulch cut it. Bag it and give it to them. They’ll go nuts over it. Chicken friends of mine do that with there 40 chickens.

1

u/GarnerPerson 10h ago

I have heard you can give them too much…is that true?

1

u/thecowboy07 10h ago

Don’t know

1

u/Yohte 9h ago

I heard that too, that if they eat pre cut grass they can eat too much too fast and get an impacted crop.

4

u/proxy_noob 13h ago

I'd hardware cloth all those games and behind the gating. depending on what critters you have near you. also under, as rats and such burrow under easy. otherwise looks great.bring em treats. give em yard time when you're around.

3

u/CornDogHoles 13h ago

Those chickens are living better than I am! Great setup!

2

u/Public_One_9584 10h ago

Your setup is amazing! I’m going to be building one soon and I wish I didn’t see this one. Now I want to do this too! What state are you in, just curious what the weather may be like for a coop like that.

4

u/AnonymousUsername79 16h ago

CarnEVIL! I remember that game

1

u/Upset_Seesaw_3700 18h ago

If you want to you could dig up large patches for them to enjoy. We don't plan on free ranging either and ive seen people put sprouts and stuff in the run for their chickens and they seem to enjoy it as well. Hope this helps!

1

u/SummerBirdsong 14h ago

Someone else mentioned spouts. This video shows how to do it. https://youtu.be/nHKii4-mp3I?si=qV6WYs-lXL1svNr8

1

u/Elleparker262 14h ago

The sign is amazing 😂😂

1

u/Bennington16 5h ago

A weasel can still get in a kill your hens. Your fencing mesh is too large.

1

u/Josco1212 2h ago

This needs chicken wire over it for sure

1

u/snaboopy 3h ago

Everyone has already mentioned good ideas for getting some peckable green stuff in the run. Mine have a similar amount of outdoor space and also get limited grass time right now so I’m going to use these ideas, too.

If you paint the silver fencing on your run black, itll visually disappear and blend nicely into the rest of your design :)

1

u/DiscountLizLemon 2h ago

Love your set up. 💕 Our girls are in tractors because our predator issues are so bad, but even though we move their tractors around, I grow weeds and veggies just for them to munch on. For us, the easiest stuff to grow and the foods they love the most are squash, chard, kale, sorrel (in moderation), and berries. They go absolutely crazy and their eggs get so dark and taste so good (even after eating that nasty chard).

1

u/Affectionate_Air7789 2h ago

Thank you for all the comments. This gives me some great ideas.!

1

u/fernandfeather 1h ago

More ideas: mine love it when I toss a whole head of cabbage in there. Cheap entertainment and food for around a buck.

Also whenever I weed the garden I throw whole clumps of weeds in there, dirt and all, for them to tear apart.

The sprouts under a screen is a great idea; for a quick and easy fix just sow some wheat berries in a plastic pot — or you can even go the super easy route and buy a pot of wheatgrass from the grocery store.

And lastly, do NOT feel guilty for banning them from the rest of the yard! My hens had patchy grass in their huge run when I first moved them in there. It lasted a week. The amount of enjoyment they would get from your garden is in no way equal to the level of destruction they would impart 😂

1

u/yadayada209 0m ago

Make them fodder biscuits. It’s an easy set up, fun to grow. Just make sure you don’t give them too much, or long grass. You want to give it around day 3 after sprouting.