Rotation/Paddock/Pasture Design

[Gen0cide]

OK, another newbie question .. .

So, I have decided to go with a rotating pasture design for my first chicken coop/run design. I would like to have my chickens as close to a natural poly-culture (i think that is the right word) as possible. I have decided on an area that should sustain 4 or 5 good size paddocks, a run, dust bath area and includes many different trees, bushes and a good patch of, what the "old timers" around here keep referring to as "pasture grass." Natural shade, sun, food and some predator protection. Of course I will be adding to this with a chicken garden planted the length of each paddock just for them!

I know, a bit much for a beginner. What can I say, I'm an obsessive overachiever....

My issue is this- Across the length of the front of my property runs a pretty steep ditch, followed on the other side by a two lane, moderately busy road. The weeds/grass and quite a few unidentifiable green growing things that I can only assume are plants take over this area pretty quickly once the weather warms. I am trying to go organic everything around here and do not want to use chemicals, and it's too deep for the mower. And although it is fairly deep, in only fills with water on rare, flood like occasions. In designing my paddock fencing, is it OK to include this area in my chicken "playground?" As long as I put the fence up on the road side, it would keep them out of traffic. My concern is drowning.. . . are chickens smart enough to get out of the water? I can't help but think they could gain some nutritional intake from the plants keeping them from getting too overrun. And who knows what kind of delicious bugs are crawling around!

Thoughts?

 

[boothin]

Not exactly related to your question but it might be relevent. How close to the road is the ditch and have to looked at your local laws to see how far from the road you have to build? If it's one of those ditches that are a few feet from the road there is a decent chance you aren't allowed to build on the other side of it.

 

[RWD]

Baby chicks will drown themselves, but grown chickens are a bit smarter. Your largest hurdle will be predators, raccoons, possum, hawks, owls, coyotes, etc., the list goes on. But to answer your question, chickens can utilize overgrown creek beds, ditches, because of the food stuffs they hold.

 

[Gen0cide]

Baby chicks will drown themselves, but grown chickens are a bit smarter. Your largest hurdle will be predators, raccoons, possum, hawks, owls, coyotes, etc., the list goes on. But to answer your question, chickens can utilize overgrown creek beds, ditches, because of the food stuffs they hold.

Thanks! A young starter flock would be a no go on the idea but once they get older or if I start out with an older flock, as long as I'm simply stealing their beautiful bounty, I'm good, if I let one of the mommas do her thing the ditch would need to be off limits for a while. Thanks!

Not exactly related to your question but it might be relevent. How close to the road is the ditch and have to looked at your local laws to see how far from the road you have to build? If it's one of those ditches that are a few feet from the road there is a decent chance you aren't allowed to build on the other side of it.

oooh .. . hadn't thought about this one.. .. . I will have to look into the rules on that one.