a chicken garden?

[midwife mama]

I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate chickens into our yard and garden in keeping with permaculture practices. We have an old coop established but the run is small and it seems odd to me to keep the chicks all pent up when perhaps they could be aiding the garden directly.

Now, I recognize the chickens would devour many garden items, but I really don't want to go through the hassle of building a chicken tractor, plus all they would get from that is yard grass, and then I would have chicken poop all over the yard where the kids are.

Does it seem plausible, if you have a large space, to have a separate chicken garden in which the chickens can free range? I'm imagining giving them limited access to their own garden on a regular basis so that the plants have time to regenerate. Does this seem possible? Thanks!

 

[Tiramisu]

Um, I wouldnt think it would be a good idea. They would probably just eat most of the garden or any produce.. I dont know my hens are kept in a run. When I visited my boyfriend and he let them out they stole a cucumber and ate on some of the plants, so they are kept in a big run.
Eating just grass is fine, they will be able to scratch through the dirt and get bugs and other things. You can always through some veges in for them and other weeds or plants.

 

[p1gg1e]

Sounds like a good idea to me. What would you plant? You could rotate areas they are great for fertilizer. You could have a 4 grid area with clover to fix nitrogin and move them once a week maybe? then plant your garden in that area next year and move the chickens to the other spot to get it ready for the following year? I bet you can find plants that would work well...I think its a great idea!

 

[midwife mama]

Thank you for your thoughts! I guess I can give it a go and see how it works this year. I have a large enough garden that I can section off a piece for the birds and rotate them through that area. I'm thinking about adding flax, some herbs, some veggies, maybe some aromatics they aren't too fond of as well just to keep it green.

 

[donnavee]

I let mine out in the evening and in my garden during the off season when I don't have anything growing. I also let them in at the end of summer when the garden was almost through producing. Even a few chicks can do a lot of digging. As I've started plantings now, I just section off the part I don't want them in. So far it is working fine. Like you though, I'm thinking of planting a little garden with their favorites - lettuce and other greens, maybe even some grass. And your are right, they never bother my herbs - except for comfrey, which they love.

 

[flgardengirl]

Mine are crazy about chocolate mint and expecially lemon balm. I can't let them into the garden because they scratch and uproot everything. They will eat the veggies but they seem really interested in scratching up the plants to get the bugs and worms they find under the plants. They could flatten a garden in no time lol. You could wait until fall after the garden season to let them in to 'clean things up'. Maybe tall things like corn or sunflowers with long sturdy roots planted in abundance would be harder for them to dig up. You could experiment with different stuff and methods. Maybe tomato cages around the peppers, tomatoes, and other tall plants.... Or A-frames set over the squash vines etc would deter them from digging so much.
I have seen some heavy duty rubber circles made from recycled tires that people place around newly planted trees to help hold moisture and keep critters from digging around them. I think you could prob use something like that around plants to prevent chooks from digging.

 

[tinyscrafts]

hi midwife mama! I used to be a doula

They will destroy the garden! I tractored for a while but had the same poop/kids problem... So then I built a really big walk in pen and a coop... they stay in their area and I'm planting stuff in there for them in raised beds protected by hardware cloth so they can't totally kill it.

 

[j3707]

midwife mama - I'm doing a similar thing this year. I've got 3 areas I'll be planting and rotating the chickens through on a bi-weekly basis. Like you, I'm at the experimental stage, trying to find what will do well in this situation. Off the top of my head I'll be planting chicory, millet, wheat, corn, comfrey, zucchini, clover, sunflower, fava beans, pole/bush beans and amaranth.

I'll let the tall plants like corn, millet and amaranth get a few feet tall before turning the chickens in them. That way I hope they'll make it to maturity. We shall see. Once established, I think the chicory and comfrey will do quite well even under consistent foraging.

Good luck - let us know how it goes for you...

 

[digitS']

Sand Hill Preservation sells seed for chicken forage.

So does, Peaceful Valley Farm Supply . . .

Planting pasture for livestock, even annual crops for foraging, is a common practice for most livestock and can be used for any type of poultry. That is essentially what you are talking about with "a chicken garden."

Robert Plamondon has some thoughts about the amount of land for pasturing chickens that are well worth considering. However, you aren't talking about having the birds on the land all-day, everyday. A few hours before sunset, on an adequate-sized piece of ground with sufficient forage - it is a good idea. Just keep in mind that you are raising both chickens and plants and do your best for both.

. . . my 2¢

.

Steve

 

[midwife mama]

Quote:
And I'd love to hear how it goes for you too! Sounds like an aggressive plan you have! When are you planting? We still have months to go here in Montana. Where will your chickens be in the meantime?