08.07 Update for Chicken Food Tower
I kept working on Chicken Food Tower No.6, there are totally 7 in two runs. As the rainy weather will remain till next Tuesday, I plant to finish No.6 and 7 asap, so they will have a good chance to get thoroughly wet.
As usual, there will be nothing planted in the lower half, just purely cold compost pile.
Now is a good timing as there will be a lot of materials after harvesting vegetables, fruits or cut flowers. I don't mind what are filled inside the lower half, because:
1. nothing planted inside that half, and whatever will be planted in the upper half will be short term crop (before frost, might be mid-Oct) and won't need to develop their roots so aggressively.
2. from now on till next spring, there is plenty time for the filled materials to gradually decompost
3. no matter what, there are quite sufficient amount of chicken manure inside.
So, on one hand I am doing cleaning of the run, and on the other hand, I try to repurpose those right there in the run, instead of put them into compost bin.
After the hens finishing all the leaves, the vegetable stems just go inside (lower half)
For the upper half, I used the soil from old pots (originally planted potatoes or spring bulbs). Again, old soil is fine, I didn't try to get amazing harvest from such food towers for chicken.
A thin layer is enough, and just sow at the out ring, so after germination, seedlings will easily access to the light they need to grow.
Only below 4 types plants will be directly sowed
- grass
- mixed wheats
- whatever vegetable seeds that are too old (potentially the germination rate will be lower) or i don't want to plant any longer.
- green manure: especially oilseed radish, alfafa and red clover
After sowing, covered with another layer of green waste, then another layer of soil for more sowing. Just use what you have cleaned from the garden harvest. A thin layer of grass clipping can be used in between, too.
Some new germinations on the tower no.4 (no.1~4 are in another run)
I personally love the mint, lavender and strawberry planted on the top of tower no.3, especially mint and lavender can always give a pleasant fragrance when you touch them.
Some new friends joined.
Overview of No1~4, they did offer me more funs when I am here with chickens.
No.1~2
No.3~4
They do inspect and harvest frequently
Winter wheat grows much much much faster than herbs (basil) and other vegetables, but chickens love wheat grass very much.
Some radish and peas are germinated among grass
What I plant to sow tomorrow, soak a bit to help them germinate even quicker.
I believe some delicious wheat grass will grow from such a mixed wheat product.
