Removing weeds

[Sonya.]

We bought our house last year. There is a small pen that is inside the lean to on the barn & can be opened up into the bigger pen. Problem is the big pen has apparently not been used for a very long time. It has weeds way taller than me in it. It also has been used as a brush pile (lots of big dead tree limbs buried under the grass). No idea what else is thrown in there. I'm honestly kind of scared to walk around in it to much as we have killed lots of copper heads in that area. I'm wanting to get about half of the big pen cleaned up & sectioned off to let the chickens run in during the day. Problem is I can't even get in there to start putting up my devider pen because of the weeds. The gate is to small to get a bush hog or tractor in, weeds are to tall & thick for a weed eater. I had thought of using a grass killer to spray but I don't actually want to kill all of the grass, just knock it down enough the hens can walk through it & I can get some wire up. Does anyone have any ideas for getting the weeds under control?

 

[IamRainey]

I would trample them and build a compost pile on top of it all. I wouldn't even bother with an enclosure but just start dumping clippings, small branches, cardboard, junk mail, any excess soil you may have access to, etc. and then start watering it periodically until it's a damp mass. Not wet, merely damp.

Not an instant solutions but you'll end up with some awesome soil in the next year and your chickens will be happy to free range on top of it. It will also be the place to dump their poo. That rich nitrogen source will really speed up the whole process.

If you get about a 4' x 6' section of plywood (or whatever convenient size) and tip it over the weeds closest to you, you can trample on it with some heavy work boots and not be subject to too much danger from hidden snakes uneven terrain or prickly weeds.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

Goats? So, by the Park & Ride in my area, the city wanted to get a main area that had a blackberry infestation under control. They contracted with a guy who maintained what appeared to be a goat “army”. They put up a perimeter fence around the area, and he brought in 15-20 goats. Every morning for a couple weeks I’d watch them while waiting for my bus. They tore through that area and pretty much cleaned it all out. The guy had a sign up on the fence, so he clearly did this as a business venture. Anyway, might not be practical, but what very little I know about goats, they appear to not be phased by blackberry bushes, so I assume there is not much vegetation that scares them. Not sure about the snakes, though.

 

[snow5164]

I was clearing a path the other day and had a hand saw , I swung it back and forth like a sickle and cut the thistle and burrs down . Just be careful

 

[aart]

I was clearing a path the other day and had a hand saw , I swung it back and forth like a sickle and cut the thistle and burrs down . Just be careful

Have done that with my curved, deep toothed pruning saw, works pretty good...
...yes, be careful, dog must stay in house.

 

[mowin]

Go rent a walk behind mini skid steer like a Toro dingo. Very easy to use and there a multitude of attachments available. Even if you need to remove part of the fence.

If that's too big or unrealistic, rent a large weed wacker will a saw blade on the end instead of a trimmer head. The blade, if sharp, will cut saplings off amazingly fast.

 

[Toothpick]

A pic would be helpful. But you can buy brush attachments for weed eaters. I’ve got one that will cut through trees about 1-2 inches thick.

Or try a machete. Or handsaw.

 

[mowin]

A pic would be helpful. But you can buy brush attachments for weed eaters. I’ve got one that will cut through trees about 1-2 inches thick.

Or try a machete. Or handsaw.

.

Not all trimmers will except or have the power to run a blade. Most curved shaft trimmers are a homeowner grade and have a flexible drive shaft. I wouldn't recommend them for this type of use. The higher end straight shaft trimmers have a solid drive shaft and can take the abuse.

 

[Toothpick]

.

Not all trimmers will except or have the power to run a blade. Most curved shaft trimmers are a homeowner grade and have a flexible drive shaft. I wouldn't recommend them for this type of use. The higher end straight shaft trimmers have a solid drive shaft and can take the abuse.

Yeah that’s a good point. I didn’t think of that. I have a straight shaft trimmer. You can put a skillsaw blade on it if you wanted.

 

[mowin]

Yeah that’s a good point. I didn’t think of that. I have a straight shaft trimmer. You can put a skillsaw blade on it if you wanted.

Ya, I've used 'em many times. Kinda scary how effective they are on saplings. You can clear a large area fairly quickly.