Perma-Coop

[Sybadd]

Hi all

I didn't get a lot of feedback from my previous post. Thank you though to Aart for your input

So I decided to just go ahead and build it and try it as an experiment.

Here it is, the "Perma-Run" on top of one of my 5 vegetable beds. it will stay there with the chickens in it until November. During that time the girls will dig, eat and poop filling the earth with lots of goodies over a year (will almost a year, I came up with the idea a little late)

In November I'll move it to the next bed during it's "rest" period.

I currently have 2 birds in here, ideally I would like 4. Do you think 4 will be ok in that space??

Oh, please excuse the scarecrow and water drum, it's been very windy the past 2 days...

 

[boskelli1571]

How long is the run?? It looks like a great idea, but I think I would probably move the run every 3 months or so. Chickens poop a lot, and I think the area will become 'icky' - just a thought.... neat idea though, Sue

 

[Sybadd]

The whole thing is about 4.5m (15ft) long.

I'll keep in mind about it getting ikky, the idea is it's there for a year, the other beds will be growing and "SHMBO" doesn't want me to put them any where other than "my corner" of the garden :/

I'll keep planty of hemp chips in there and dig it over regularly.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I really like the overall idea. Agree that a year might be a bit long but you can watch and evaluate as you go. Looks fine for 2 birds but my first reaction was possible small for 4. What if your sqft inside and then what is your sqft outside?

 

[Sybadd]

5.3 45

The coop is 5.5 sqf and the run is about 45 sqf aprox

 

[marktoo]

This may be helpful...http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...re-fertilizer-zm0z13amzkon.aspx#axzz2pXwohUow. Harvey Ussery's book "The Small Scaled Poultry Flock" has some good info. He also has some articles in Mother Earth News. You might also look through the gardening thread in BYC.

I'm experimenting with this also. Last year I planted my fall garden 30 days after pulling my chicks off but the area was 250 sq ft, everything grew.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

5.3 45

The coop is 5.5 sqf and the run is about 45 sqf aprox

Is the coop where they sleep also or is this just a run for during the day? If it is there full time home I think the run is great for 4 birds but the coop is likely going to be a bit small. If they are sleeping elsewhere then I think your in great shape.

 

[LindaB220]

This may be helpful...http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...re-fertilizer-zm0z13amzkon.aspx#axzz2pXwohUow. Harvey Ussery's book "The Small Scaled Poultry Flock" has some good info. He also has some articles in Mother Earth News. You might also look through the gardening thread in BYC.

I'm experimenting with this also. Last year I planted my fall garden 30 days after pulling my chicks off but the area was 250 sq ft, everything grew.

I found this quite enlightening. Thanks