Best grass for free ranging chickens

My 2 acre forest garden is in it's first year.
I brought in 600,000 lbs of wood chips and have about 300 new trees/shrubs that are going to make it.

There are no grasses at the moment--just lots of wood chips.
I have one chance to plant the right thing that would be great for chickens when I introduce them next year, but not something that will compete with tree/shrub/veggie roots like our local bermuda will.
I won't be planning on mowing the grass and I won't be ready to introduce anything like a sheep until the system is much more mature.

I am in southern New Mexico.

Are there any grasses that don't have invasive root systems that would be great for chickens.

mark andrews wrote:My 2 acre forest garden is in it's first year.
I brought in 600,000 lbs of wood chips and have about 300 new trees/shrubs that are going to make it.

That's a LOT of wood chips! I figure that is 4" deep over the entire plot. Wow.

There are no grasses at the moment--just lots of wood chips.
I have one chance to plant the right thing that would be great for chickens when I introduce them next year, but not something that will compete with tree/shrub/veggie roots like our local bermuda will.
I won't be planning on mowing the grass and I won't be ready to introduce anything like a sheep until the system is much more mature.

I am in southern New Mexico.

Are there any grasses that don't have invasive root systems that would be great for chickens.

Three suggestions I would have:
1) Talk to local farmers about pasture mixes for your climate. A mixture is almost always going to be better than a mono-crop.
2) Try annuals (grasses or otherwise).
3) Start some nitrogen fixers right off the bat, clovers, peas, beans, vetch, etc.

Also check out the video here about chickens fed solely on compost piles (aka 600,000 lbs of wood chips).

Thank You Kindly,
Topher