wood chips?

I would let them forage in the grass/dirt. I use the wood chips inside the coop, it absorbs very well, and it's easy to replace/clean. I'm sure they can scratch through it, see how they like it then make a decision.

I am thinking about getting chickens and keeping them on the ground in a pen. What I wanted to know is if we need to get rid of the grass or should I leave it for them to eat and forge in?

Any information that you can give me on starting up a new pen would be very helpful.

Thanks
Bill Stites

We are new to chickens and I should mention it has been the most rewarding experience for our family. My two boys are taking an active role in their care and upkeep.
First, we use straw in the coop as a means for them to nest and burrow. However, we use woodchips in the pen. At first, we had grass, but quickly it turns to a slippery muck after they have scratched and eaten any bit of green in the pen and pooped like crazy. However, the chips have provided a nice non-slippery medium for them to move about. I am still trying to decide if I will use the chips in the coop as well.
As for letting your chickens scratch around in the grass, I would recommend a "chicken tractor". Google "Joel Salatin" and you will find out what I'm talking about. What we have is a rudimentary pen with a top that has no bottom. It's about 6' X 6'. We move it to various spots around our property and then put the chickens in for the day. That way, they have an opportunity to scratch and forage just like chickens should be doing. At night or when we are gone they are kept in the pen.
As for a coop. We are on a strick budget and I really had 0 dollars to spend. I searched on Freecycle for all the components of our coop and pen. For our coop I got an oversized doghouse. It measures about 3'wide by 4' deep and 3.5' high. It is made out of wood and the side opens. I am almost positive the previous owner used it for chickens...
We got donated scaffolding from a friend. We supported the doghouse on planks that run between two bars on the scaffolding. Then we encased the whole thing in chicken wire. The scaffolding is perfect as it allows for roosts for the chickens. Ingenuity and resourcefulness at it's best.

I haven't yet gotten my urban flock going, but we used to have a large backyard flock on our farm, and in between bouts of chicken-keeping we would let the chicken yard get pretty overgrown. Within a few weeks of re-introducing chickens it was always back under control. The chickens will eat/ scratch/ over-poop the grass away in pretty short order. I would just make sure that the grass is not so high that things like dangerous snakes could hide in it.

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I am thinking about getting chickens and keeping them on the ground in a pen.
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