But there is one outstanding winner in turf...
Anything that does not throw out a runner will not cope with chicken traffic.
So Fescue (tall and fine) and Santa Ana are definitely out. They are just too tender.
The winner is:
Kikuyu
I often refer to Kikuyu as the "devil's grass" because I am a very keen gardener. Kikuyu is very likely to spread it's runners into garden beds. In fact, if you live in a new housing estate where there was once an old school oval, and you discover grass coming up around your new build all by itself, it will be Kikuyu grass. But with a little diligence, you can deter it from some areas or minimise it's activity.
When it comes to pets and summer drought, Kikuyu lawn is the most resilient!
Just when summer has done it's worst, when the Autumn rains come, Kikuyu is back. It really is an amazing grass.
Kikuyu can be planted by either seed or clumps of runners. I found the transplanting of runners to be the most effective way of regrowing areas where ever my hens had dug out dust baths. Staking off these areas will help them to regrow.
Kikuyu will grow any where unlike many other turf varities. The positives well out-weigh any negatives about this lawn.
Yes, chickens can eat it, but they will never eat it out completely unless it is within an enclosed run.