Balfour Method

[pritchro]

So...essentially, the pens turn into gardens? That sounds interesting.

 

[lynn1961]

Is that the no till seed mix for wildlife ? It looks a lot like what I planted in between the garden rows in September for our birds. Then planted a second area behind their roost house, so the are able to graze one area while the other area recovers. They have realy enjoyed it. As a added bonus the feed bill has been reduced and the turnips are making.

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
x2 on the before and after. Great pictures........ just 12 hours work for 10 chickens.

In some ways a chicken ark, chicken tractor or any other portable shelter accomplishes the protection of the chickens and the variation in pasture.

In the Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow there are diagrams in Chapt 3 on shelter where they show a square coop with 4 seperate fenced yards, and a hexagonal coop with six seperate fenced yards.... so, lets see, 10 chickens, 12-hours...... ;O)

 

[momma of a chicken lover]

Quote:
Wow! These pics are amazing! It looks like they methodically worked their way through and picked out the best of the best plants. Do you know what type of plants they ate and which ones were left trampled but uneaten?

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

I was thinking of doing something like that. Have the coop in the middle, a garden to the left & the compost stuff to the right. Once the garden was done for the season, let the chickens into that area & prep the other area for the next years garden. But we were on a budget when we moved in & there was a greenhouse we converted to the coop, and it is located at the corner of our property.
I do plan on doing a raised bed garden next year & will have to fence it off, still working on the plans for that. I know they will be pacing back & forth frothing at the mouth wanting to get into it.

 

[twentynine]

Some answers to you guy's questions.

No till seed mix for wildlife-----

Nope I turn the soil over, 1 shovel deep and then break it up with a long tine rake. Cast the seeds with a small hand seeder, at about 200% reccommended rate. Then I use the same rake to slightly cover the seeds. No store bought fertilizer and water when it doesn't rain.

What do the chickens prefer---------

So far I have planted for fall/winter, rye grass, mustard green, turnips and rape. Spring and summer, corn, bahia grass, millet, red clover. Everything but the red clover has readily sproutted, I have seen maybe a sprig of clover here or there. The chickens seem to prefer the rape, mustard greens, turnips with the rye grass far and away the most favorite. The bahia grass last eaten.


I have since changed the way I graze them. I have found that 12 hours was to long. The ten chickens could do more damage in 12 hours then could be regenerated. So now I graze them an hour or two at a time. I requires more supervision but the "garden" will last all season.

 

[tsmith1499]

In hooved livestock, we call this rotational grazing. Works great with all kinds of livestock. Feathered and non feathered varieties.

 

[Northie]

Reviving this old thread instead of starting a new one....

Does anyone use this method in northern climates? Can you keep the scratch yard open through the winter? Should you keep it covered or is it better to let the rain get at it?