Raisedbeds with ctractor

[woodtrucker]

Well I've got the makings for a great growing season next year. I now have a chicken tractor to rotate on two raised beds and on a 15x30 ft garden flat as well. Trying to develop a system for my for girls to work. Need feedback. My thoughts are to move the girls to raised bed now and leave rotate them once a month on each of the two raised beds while spreading coop litter on the flat. Then at the end of february rotate them on any of the flat I haven't spread litter on until end of march. At that time I plan move them between rows during growing season on the flat to keep weeds down while I compost coop litter. Anybody have any comments on whether this is a good approach? Been studying on this for a while!

 

[wyoDreamer]

What is your climate like?
Right now, here, it is winter and cold and nothing is composting. I could spread the coop litter across the garden, but it would still be there in April and would need time to breakdown in the spring before planting anything. If the climate is OK, it sounds like you plan may work.
I like the idea of the tractor between the row for weeding and fertilizing.

 

[woodtrucker]

Thanks for the reply. I did manage rotate my compost today so it must be cooking some despite our temps below freezing at night in 40's during the day. I am a little concerned about not giving the litter time to decompose by the time growing season approaches. I figure on strictly adding to compost pile by the typical mid march thaw through end of growing season then back to the process of spreading or placing chicken tractor directly on raised beds. That would give the soil a month or more of breaking down before planting.
We don't get extremely cold winters here. Most of the days get above freezing except during the month of february.

 

[wyoDreamer]

iF YOU HAVE DAYTIME TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING, YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING YOUR COMPOST PILE DONE. Sorry about the caps - wasn't looking at the screen while I was typing ...
Since the pile will heat up as it cooks, the low night temps will probably not be enough to turn off the decomposition at the center of the pile. If you can still turn your pile, it is still working and turning the outside in will help. Make sure to keep some moisture in there. If you have some old straw or hay, you can cover your pile with it to insulate the pile and keep in the warmth and moisture from the decompostition. Just scrape teh hay off to the side when you turn the pile, then put it back on top when you are done working the compost pile.
It will probably steam when you open the pile up