Hi! New member here

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC So happy you have joined us.

 

[FarmerFergie]

So many great ideas! Welcome! Please teach me how to have my chickens work the garden! I hate gardening! If it doesn't chirp, squeal, chatter, sing, meow, bark, whinny, blat, or moo, it dies from neglect. My thumbs have never been green.

Hi! I was surprised at how efficient they were at removing all the weeds and grass, then digging in the soil and of course pooping everywhere haha. Once the garden soil was ready, I tilled it all in. Now if only I could train them to eat the bad bugs this summer and not the vegetables, that would be great haha

 

[Salacker]

Hi everyone! New to chickens and I love my girls, they are so entertaining! I have 4 easter eggers and 4 columbian wyandottes. They started laying eggs in December and will be a year old next month. Building my first coop was a great learning experience and it's just been so fun raising chickens, even our corgis love them haha. This was our first winter using the chickens to turn over and fertilize our vegetable garden, they did great. I'm now composting their manure until the time comes to release them onto the garden again. Unfortunately I cannot free range them on our acre of land as we have too many predators here in Maryland. Considering to build a chicken tractor for safe grazing. Also, would like to know how everyone else manages chicken manure.

Welcome FarmerFergie, I made poop hammocks for my coops. Heavy duty tarps and 1x2s. Hung under the roosting bars. I empty them twice a week into a 5' deep hole that I found on my property and use some for our garden. We sprinkle Sweet PDZ on the fresh poop every morning to control the odor. The hole is getting full so I'll probably try throwing it on a burn pile in the future. Out in what we call the "yard" (32'x32' fenced run) we just let the rain do it's thing. Welcome to the forum you'll learn a lot here.

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, Welcome to BYC tannks for joining and nice to meet you.

 

[DobieLover]

Now if only I could train them to eat the bad bugs this summer and not the vegetables, that would be great haha

Keep dreaming! When my flock was permitted to free range they ate my entire harvest!!

 

[Boppo]

Welcome to BYC. Glad to meet you. Best wishes with your plans. I hope you enjoy your birds!

 

[Dr Evy]

Welcome to BYC. We’re so glad you joined!

 

[janiedoe]

Hello, welcome to BYC!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

I use the deep litter method and keep adding wood shavings. The girls do a nice job of turning it. Once a year I pull it out and add to the garden.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! We're glad you joined us!