Lime for sure, and drainage too. Try rototilling some coarse and fine sand into the soil this fall. Then add the lime as needed. No doubt worse in summer heat.
I am going to try to grow crickets and nightcrawlers in a compost place in center of my pen. Hopefullly a self-sustaining source of protein to replace the insects that have been all eaten by now. The black ants I used to see there vanished within a week of when I let the chicks out into the pen. It is large at 180 ft circumference for 24 birds. I have two shade trees and a sunny area too, so it is balanced, and has a natural slope. It is stinky on still days if I am out there working in the pen. Goes away after rain. Am hoping to be able to keep some grass in there as they graze on it all day every day. AM fencing off 1/3 of it at the end of this month and am rototilling it and seeding it. It was always an area of little grass so I hope to change that. Will use creeping red fescue since it likes shade. I notice that they really like to huddle under the henhouse and I wonder if they will try to lay their eggs there? I meant to close off all access to that area but have not had the time to yet, due to installing fence charger, etc. I am hesitant to do it now that I see that they like it so much under there. There is straw there for them that blew in after I strawed down the area around the hydrant I installed in front of the coop.
I am going to try to grow crickets and nightcrawlers in a compost place in center of my pen. Hopefullly a self-sustaining source of protein to replace the insects that have been all eaten by now. The black ants I used to see there vanished within a week of when I let the chicks out into the pen. It is large at 180 ft circumference for 24 birds. I have two shade trees and a sunny area too, so it is balanced, and has a natural slope. It is stinky on still days if I am out there working in the pen. Goes away after rain. Am hoping to be able to keep some grass in there as they graze on it all day every day. AM fencing off 1/3 of it at the end of this month and am rototilling it and seeding it. It was always an area of little grass so I hope to change that. Will use creeping red fescue since it likes shade. I notice that they really like to huddle under the henhouse and I wonder if they will try to lay their eggs there? I meant to close off all access to that area but have not had the time to yet, due to installing fence charger, etc. I am hesitant to do it now that I see that they like it so much under there. There is straw there for them that blew in after I strawed down the area around the hydrant I installed in front of the coop.
