Questions about moving the Flock near home

[Waves]

Hi all!
Im thinking about moving my Flock of five chickens from 40 metres far from home to in the garden near the House, because it would more comfortable to care them during all the seasons. but i have some questions:

1= i wouldnt like to see my garden totally scratched and desertified from my girls. I noticed that in my actual Run, in the first years they eated all the grass and nothing edible growed, but in the time some plants that they dont like became big and host bugs, little animals that my chickens like very much. Some edible grass now grow, too, because they aren't totally exposed tu the sun 24/24h.
So... What do you think if i put in the soil seeds of plants they dont like, so they wont desertify all, and bugs, mealworms will arrive? Mad idea?
I have even a chicken tractor, but i can use it only when i am at home. Id love if they could eat some thing good even if Im not at home.

2=have you some ideas to make the coop cute for a garden near home? Decorations and so on...

3=in winter, there is often lot of smell of smoke by my neighbours fireplace (it goes on pellet)
I read it can be dangerous for humans, so i dont open the windows when there is Smell (some hours each day), even because it is a very bad and annoying smell. Some times it makes me sneeze.
could it be dangerous on the long period for my chickens?

4=this summer one of my quarantined chickens with coccidiosis escaped from the quarantine and made a walk in the garden. Then, when there was the integration, nobody had cocci.
I really think it isnt a problem, just wanted ask your advice

Ok, there is all my questions.
Waves-pretty-stupid-questions... But Thank you all

 

[azygous]

The emissions from your neighbor's pellet stove could be dangerous for your chickens if it's so dense that it displaces clean air. If it makes you cough and sneeze, it's a sign that the smoke will also irritate your chickens' respiratory systems. It sounds like your neighbors need to give their stack a good cleaning, and that could reduce the noxious emissions and make their stove burn more cleanly.

Turning chickens loose in a garden will end up destroying it. Two ways to prevent this. Fence the chickens out of your garden or plant perennials with deep, established root systems.

Grass will survive chickens if you plant bunch types with vertical root systems. Sod types don't hold up under chicken scratching due to the shallow root systems. But the bunch grasses need time to become established before chickens can be turned loose on them.

 

[SubArcticFowl]

I've got a bit of experience with wood pellet stoves and boilers. It should smell just like an outdoor wood fire. Heavy smoke and particulate matter is a sign of incomplete combustion. You neighbours system likely could use some maintenance. Cleaning the chimney is obvious, but also looking at the burn chamber is sealed up properly (i.e. replace gaskets), the air intake is clean, and blowers are operating correctly. I heat my house with a wood pellet boiler in northern Canada and once a week I spend 45 minutes cleaning it out. With my old pellet stove I had to replace the gaskets annually or the seals would go and air mixture wouldn't be right. These appliances are great from a sustainability and cost point of view, but they take a lot more effort to maintain then people realize.

If the system is running properly, I wouldn't have a problem keeping chickens nearby. In fact, I plan on doing just that myself.

 

[rosemarythyme]

1= So... What do you think if i put in the soil seeds of plants they dont like, so they wont desertify all, and bugs, mealworms will arrive?

2=have you some ideas to make the coop cute for a garden near home? Decorations and so on...

1. Even if they don't want to eat the plants they will still likely kill the plants by scratching for bugs underneath it. My birds have even jumped into garden beds, pulled out all the small started plants they didn't want, and then rolled around in it.

2. You could have some hanging plant baskets, or some homemade signs. Anything goes as long as it's chicken safe.

 

[Mrs. K]

Really, I think the troubles will out weigh the benefits. The chances of them totally destroying your garden are much higher than anything growing there or surviving. Plus, then you have the flies closer to the house, and while I try an keep things clean enough to keep the flies down, there are still more flies in the coop than in my house.

Part of the reason I have chickens, is the walk. Makes me get a little exercise. I would not want mine too close to the house.

Mrs K

 

[David61]

4. Cocci is or can be found anywhere in nature. We build an immunities to it.
When it over loads the system before the body can build a defense they need medical help. Treat it only when needed.

 

[Waves]

First of all, thank you!
The problem with the pellet is that the chimney is too low, and with the wind al the smoke comes in our garden. I've said it, and asked if they could do some adjustements on it, (never had this problem before of 3 ys ago, and we've been here for 10years)....buuuuut it seems a long thing.


The emissions from your neighbor's pellet stove could be dangerous for your chickens if it's so dense that it displaces clean air. If it makes you cough and sneeze, it's a sign that the smoke will also irritate your chickens' respiratory systems.


this is what i wanted to know.... you're right!

Turning chickens loose in a garden will end up destroying it. Two ways to prevent this. Fence the chickens out of your garden or plant perennials with deep, established root systems.

Grass will survive chickens if you plant bunch types with vertical root systems. Sod types don't hold up under chicken scratching due to the shallow root systems. But the bunch grasses need time to become established before chickens can be turned loose on them.

Yes, i forgot to say that they will be fenced absolutely! They are fenced already in the actual coop. I asked this about the grass because i see that someone here has chickens in super green, full of grass, runs! Interesting this thing about the vertical root! thank you!

If the system is running properly, I wouldn't have a problem keeping chickens nearby. In fact, I plan on doing just that myself.

I'll see it it's possible to do something...thank you very much

1. Even if they don't want to eat the plants they will still likely kill the plants by scratching for bugs underneath it. My birds have even jumped into garden beds, pulled out all the small started plants they didn't want, and then rolled around in it.

2. You could have some hanging plant baskets, or some homemade signs. Anything goes as long as it's chicken safe.

super interesting this thing of plant baskets! thank you!
chickens will not be in the "cute flowering" garden area...but in the grass garden area.
Uhm, i really don't mind if there isn't grass, my hens are the principal ornament but i cared because a grass garden is more populated with bugs than a desert...

Really, I think the troubles will out weigh the benefits. The chances of them totally destroying your garden are much higher than anything growing there or surviving. Plus, then you have the flies closer to the house, and while I try an keep things clean enough to keep the flies down, there are still more flies in the coop than in my house.

Part of the reason I have chickens, is the walk. Makes me get a little exercise. I would not want mine too close to the house.

Mrs K

You are right. I think that they'll remain where they are now...
I don't know about flies... In my actual coop i never see annoying bugs or flies, but maybe i just don't care of them cause it's far from home!
Even the exercise is a good thing. But sometimes under the heavy rain or when is very cold, it can be....but, really, i am getting attached to that little walk even if it rains

4. Cocci is or can be found anywhere in nature. We build an immunities to it.
When it over loads the system before the body can build a defense they need medical help. Treat it only when needed.

Thank you very much


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I'll let you know if the smoke problem will be solved...txs!!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think the smoke problem is the main concern here. My coop is quite close to my house, about 20 feet from my living room, and I think if I ever moved in the future I would look to once again place it closer to the house rather than further. It makes it easier to bring out/take in food and water, is close enough to run WiFi and electricity as needed, and I can hear alarm calls from inside the house, so if there's a potential predator I can deal with it a lot faster.

 

[Waves]

Same reasons because i'd like to move!