- Thread starter
- #21
@Ridgerunner
Throw us a link, will you please?
Throw us a link, will you please?
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
John, my tiller rarely gets used in the garden! I still drag it out when I need to break up some hard pan to sink some posts, or break up heavy clay subsoil to plant a tree, break the sod to lay a stone walk way. But to use it to till soil in a garden... NO WAY! I can tell you that my chickens till the soil some. But, by far, the biggest benefit to a no till garden comes from having a constant deep mulch. I am currently installing a Back To Eden mulch over my existing garden. Started building a hugelkulture mound last summer, and installed a BTE orchard last summer. I have been doing deep mulch in the garden for 30+ years, and anticipate that the conversion to BTE will make an even greater improvement in the existing set up. But, I'll never sell that tiller! It's too valuable a tool, even though it does not get to play in the garden.I think THAT's the question I should be asking!
I can do some Wheel-Hoe tilling to do a final prep on the garden each year. But I want to be one of those people who sold their Rototiller because the chickens did so much work that I don't need it anymore.
Hi! I am a newbie to chickens, although I do have experience from when I was a child.
My plan is to split my HUGE garden in half, and let the chickens process one side while I garden the other. Each year, I flip-flop the garden and chicken run. The coop will be in the middle and have doors for each side. All will be fenced as needed to keep the chickens where they should be. Obviously, the door on the garden side remains closed that year.
I intend to flip-flop indefinitely into the future. I need all the help I can get with bugs and weeds in the garden. So, let'em rip and process the ground for me ahead of time.
I've got the overview of the plan done, and now it's time to crunch the numbers. Here's my big question:
How many chickens?
Each run is ~3000 sq. ft. How many chickens should I put there to have them "clear" the run in one year? (52 weeks).
I'd like them to scratch around eating bugs, weeds, weed seeds, etc, making compost for me, etc., all the things chickens seem to enjoy. What I don't want is a muddy barenaked run for part of the year. And I'd like to minimize feed purchases. Esp. during growing or warm season. I understand I'll need feed for the winter.
All these things, to me, point to a smaller flock of 3-5 chickens. That's 3-5 chickens in a 3000 sq.ft run for a year.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks so much!
-Johntodd
Does it matter that I use an Earthway Precision Seeder for seeding my garden? Talk of wood chips frightens that machine...
https://earthway.com/product/1001-b-precision-garden-seeder.ashx