Rotating garden/ chicken run

[Saveadane]

After coming back to this site from a long hiatus of chicken ownership, I am trying to find information about rotating a garden with chickens. My intent is to make a 1 acre fenced chicken run that is divided down the middle. Chickens can be run on one half while the other half is planted out as a veggie garden. The coop would be located centrally and have pop doors to each run. I know that I saw similar plans on this website years ago, and I was wondering if someone could point me in that direction. Has anyone had this setup for an extended period of time? Would it be possible to cover such a large area with netting?

I am worried about the amount of phosphates that are deposited from running chickens on a garden site for a year, but I'm not sure what effect 25-30 chickens would have on half an acre in one year. I think that the stocking rate would have to be much higher for them to reduce the area to bare soil, so I might need to move some sheep into that pen every now and again to control the pasture height.

Does this sound like a sensible plan to you, or have you done something similar? I have considered adding more fencing and doing a 4 run rotation, but I don't know the benefits to such a system over 2 runs. I have also heard of doing a "chicken moat," which may work in my situation by installing a 6' run around the acre, but fencing would be pricey.

ETA: I found the article I was looking for: http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/silveira44a.html.

 

[4 the Birds]

A 1 acre or 1/2 acre run is way too large to consider covering with net. I would construct a secure 10x30 or similar size run that is predator proof and covered with a solid roof for shade. The much larger 1 acre area would serve as a great free range area. I am unclear of your garden size but I have a 1/4 acre garden that is fenced and meshed down low to keep out rabbits. The chickens can certainly free range in a garden area without concern during the Fall and Winter months when you don't have vegies planted. I have a couple dozen chickens and I use the waste compost amended into the garden soil and till it each Spring. My chickens free range within a 1 acre area with goats. The chickens scratch the area bare up around the housing (I throw scratch on the ground for them) but the field stays grassy. I have to run a bush hog in the pen every few weeks to cut or the free range area will grow over waist high. So I guess my suggestion is to have 2 areas and close off the garden area access when you plant in the Spring and allow them access in the Fall when the garden is done producing.

 

[nellynelly]

i would consider having 4 sections, with the coop in the middle. section 1 chicken run, 2 rest, 3 garden, 4 planted chicken fodder. after the crop harvested, 1 rest, 2 garden, 3 planted chicken fodder, 4 chickenrun. instead of rest, you could plant high feeding crops (corn/winter squash) after the chickens are moved from the run. that would also give you 1/2 acre of garden

i have a chicken moat, i like it, but it does require allot of fencing.

 

[Saveadane]

Thank you for your responses.

4 the birds - Thanks for the pictures as it really helps me visualize how this setup works. We are looking at having a minimum of a half acre garden next year. There is a local restaurant that is very interested in purchasing any excess, so we will likely expand that as our time and energy allows. As far as free ranging, I don't think I would fence the chickens in as much as fence them out of the garden, with your arrangement. The property is fenced with 4' woven wire fencing, so I know they may visit the neighbor's horse, but I doesn't sound like the additional fencing around their enclosure would do me much good. How far would you say your chickens range from the henhouse when foraging?

nellynelly - It sounds like this may be the best plan for utilizing the space with both chickens and garden. If given a 100'x100' enclosure, how much of it do you think the two dozen chickens would "use?" That is, do you think they would be effective at pest removal or digging up the soil at this scale? My former chickens reduced everything in their run to dirt so fast that it is hard for me to imagine the level of destruction when they are given room to roam.

 

[4 the Birds]

Thank you for your responses.

4 the birds - Thanks for the pictures as it really helps me visualize how this setup works. We are looking at having a minimum of a half acre garden next year. There is a local restaurant that is very interested in purchasing any excess, so we will likely expand that as our time and energy allows. As far as free ranging, I don't think I would fence the chickens in as much as fence them out of the garden, with your arrangement. The property is fenced with 4' woven wire fencing, so I know they may visit the neighbor's horse, but I doesn't sound like the additional fencing around their enclosure would do me much good. How far would you say your chickens range from the henhouse when foraging?

Saveadane: The birds mostly hang out around the coop to forage. During nice weather, they often venture throughout the free range fenced area. Hiding places or a few sheds in the free range area will make the birds more comfortable to roam since a shelter is close. 1/2 acre garden is BIG! Hopefully you have a tractor to help work the soil. I kill off grass areas with tarps for several months before I flip the soil via a shovel and then use a tiller each Spring to increase the garden size. We get a TON of veggies from this plot each year! I just got it planted last week.



The purpose of our run is so that I can open up the coop without the goats getting in or causing issues. I have a goat guard in front the chicken door from the run to the free range area (shown left of the person door).

 

[nellynelly]

i don't think they would turn that large of area into the "moon". you can always get more chickens.

 

[EricKoperek]

1. It is far more efficient to have mobile chicken coops rather than string miles of fencing.

2. Chickens normally range 100 to 200 feet from their chicken coop.

3. A flock of chickens will normally eat all of the best bugs, seeds, and leaves in any given area in 1 or 2 days. They will not denude the pasture, just graze the choice feed.

4. Move the chicken coop 100 to 200 feet every day or every other day depending on how fast the pasture is growing. Ideal places to put mobile chicken coops are in orchards where foraging chickens can help control pests.

5. Close the chicken coops up every night to protect birds from predators. Put guard dogs with your flocks during the day.

6. Constant rotation of chicken coops to fresh pasture will help control parasites and diseases and allow the land to recover from grazing.

7. Chickens grazing fresh pasture every day or every other day will get most of their food from bugs, worms, seeds, and leaves. Large breeds may require 1 to 2 Tablespoons of grain daily up to a maximum of 2 scale ounces per bird daily. Free-range pasture greatly reduces feed costs.

8. I do not recommend commercial chicken feed because it is made from Genetically Modified corn and soybeans which cause many health problems in chickens. Feed wheat, oats, barley, millet, or any other kind of grain as long as it has not been genetically modified. To make your own chicken ration combine 1 part of peas, beans, or lentils with 3 or 4 parts of grain. Make fresh daily and roll to increase nutrient absorption. I like to use rolled oats but you can use whatever you like.

9. The next best alternative to mobile chicken coops is to use mobile cages made from light-weight plastic or aluminum tubing covered with netting. Drag these to a new position EVERY DAY.

10. The third best alternative is a stationary chicken pen covered with netting. Allow an absolute minimum of 4 square feet per bird. 1 square yard = 9 square feet per bird is better. Keep bird pen deeply mulched with hay, leaves, wood chips, or similar organic materials. Mulch should be at least 8 inches thick. Add mulch regularly to keep pen clean and sanitary. Maintain deep mulch system year-round. Feed chickens with fresh green, yellow, and orange vegetables daily. Throw all egg shells back into chicken pen; chickens will eat shells to recycle calcium for egg laying.

11. Provide at least 1 nesting box for every 4 chickens. Nesting boxes should be not more than 18 inches above ground or large breeds may have trouble getting into boxes. Fill boxes with straw, cedar chips, or other suitable nesting material. Dust boxes regularly with diatomaceous earth = diatom flour to control external parasites. Change nesting materials regularly to keep boxes sanitary. Do not let birds nest on ground!

12. Birds to be killed should be kept confined for several days and fed a "bland" diet of grain and vegetables. This will ensure that the meat is mildly flavored.

13. By constantly rotating fresh pasture, thousands of chickens can be raised without health problems. Ideal rotations are 30 days long. If you don't have enough pasture to move chickens every day for a month, use the longest practical rotation. Long rotations are essential to control diseases and parasites, and to allow pasture to regrow.

14. Modern farmers call this method "intensive rotational grazing". The idea is not new; farmers were doing this back in the Middle Ages. My father's family has been farming the same land (in Austria) for the past 800 years. All livestock (cows, sheep, goats, and chickens) are rotated to fresh pasture daily. In winter they are fed sprouted grains and vegetables like fodder beet, forage kale, and stock squash. This system can easily be adapted to small acreages or large gardens -- simply adapt the principles as best you can to fit the space available.

15. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact me: Eric Koperek, Office Address: 413 Cedar Drive, Moon Township, PA 15108. E-Mail Address: [email protected]

END COMMENT.