The floor in the run

[aart]

Some good ideas above. Certainly, management is a lot easier with lots of space, which free ranging provides. Mine have a large feced yard which weeds and trees grow in; we even have to mow it some. I certainly don't remove the poop from it, no need.

Would be curious to know, how big is yard (feet x feet) and how many birds in it full time that you still have to mow it. Many people ask this would be great to know some numbers.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Would be curious to know, how big is yard (feet x feet) and how many birds in it full time that you still have to mow it. Many people ask this would be great to know some numbers.

I'd like to know that too, just out of curiosity. I know we'll still have to cut ours since, at most, we'll end up with 15 at a time (speaking futuristicaly).I don't see them mowing a whole acre for me but maybe they can pick up the clippings for me

 

[Beekissed]

I've kept flocks of 30-50 on an acre of fenced land and never had a problem with any denuding of grasses and the grass had to be mowed weekly or I would have lost chickens. Then I got 3 sheep and they took care of it for me but I still had to mow a couple of times a season to knock down particularly high weeds that no one wanted to eat. And that was with two dogs running on the same land...and at different times I also had a couple of cows/calves on the same grass.

It all depends on what kind of grass you have, how lush your growth, your climate and your stocking rate whether you have any problems with wearing out your pasture. I always advise people to start with a very low stocking rate and work your way up each year to see what your soil and grasses will stand, particularly in a drought season.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

It all depends on what kind of grass you have, how lush your growth, your climate and your stocking rate whether you have any problems with wearing out your pasture.  I always advise people to start with a very low stocking rate and work your way up each year to see what your soil and grasses will stand, particularly in a drought season. 

I'm really hoping the chickens will improve our land. A lot of it is that nasty clay soil. Half of our land grows nice grass, the other half is moss because the ground is too hard for the grass to grow lol

 

[Beekissed]

I'm really hoping the chickens will improve our land. A lot of it is that nasty clay soil. Half of our land grows nice grass, the other half is moss because the ground is too hard for the grass to grow lol

That moss is typical of acidic soil and you could try placing pelleted lime on those areas for a couple of years to sweeten up that soil and it will discourage the moss growth. My mother's place had the same type soil of clay and acidic nature that grew moss. We spread the lime for the past few years~especially on the mossy areas~ and have run chickens, seeded the place with some white dutch clover in likely spots and it has improved her lawn in just two years time...it went from sparse, weedy type grasses with dust or moss in between the grass patches to a rich, lovely green that has a lot of nutrient rich choices for the birds.

I also encouraged her to not mow it too short, allow the clover and good grasses to go to seed before mowing and then to mow with the mower on high so as to not damage the young grasses...this all helped her have a better, more nutritious lawn and food storage for bees and chickens, not to mention the deer, rabbits and groundhogs.

It also helped her fruit trees bear fruit for the first time in 15 yrs! The peach trees were loaded to breaking and the apple trees were also...first time ever for this place.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

We have some lime in the garage that we'll have to put down. Is it safe for the birds, or will they avoid it? Or should I keep them confined until it dissolves? We're actually planning on planting fruit trees this spring. We're trying to start our own little Homestead

 

[Beekissed]

We have some lime in the garage that we'll have to put down. Is it safe for the birds, or will they avoid it? Or should I keep them confined until it dissolves? We're actually planning on planting fruit trees this spring. We're trying to start our own little Homestead

Lime won't hurt them unless it's caustic lime and it gets wet and they walk in it...that might burn their feet~I wouldn't use that type. Mine ignored it even as I scattered it right in front of them. Some people add lime to their deep litter just to give their birds additional dietary calcium and phosphorus, so I'm doubting it will hurt your birds.

Pelleted lime dissolves slowly over time as it rains and they say it's best to scatter it prior to a rain for that purpose, so it will get a good start on dissolving.

 

[Judy]

Quote: 9 hens in an 11x17 coop and 70'x70' yard, approximately. What we mow is not grass, though, it is weeds that they won't eat.
They keep the grass eaten back.

 

[SteveinDallas]

Bekissed........I'm getting mixed messages.
The first paragraph says the litter approach gets compacted and leads to problems.
The second paragraph says it can be a good thing.
I've been adding leaves and grass to mine and it's getting compacted, almost like you're standing on peat moss. So, I'm shoveling it out and mixing it in with my soils elsewhere and having to add new dirt to the run, kind of like a constant work in progress.
Is that what you were referring to?
Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some good ideas above.  Certainly, management is a lot easier with lots of space, which free ranging provides.  Mine have a large feced yard which weeds and trees grow in; we even have to mow it some.  I certainly don't remove the poop from it, no need.

Time of year makes a big difference too, as well as climate. I have a 12 x 32 permanent run that is totally bare year round. I also have an area 30 x 65 (recently increase to maybe 35 x 90) fenced with electric netting. I overwinter one rooster and 7 to 8 hens, but in the summer I may have 40 or more chickens of various ages on it, mostly chicks smaller than butchering age.

In the spring after it has warmed up and we are getting regular rain, I have to mow it to get rid of weeds they won’t eat and to make room for grasses and good weeds to grow. In the middle of summer when it quits raining and it gets pretty warm, I have to water it some to get the grass to grow, very few weed problems, and they do not pick it bare. Over winter, it gets picked bare but they are often out there eating the dried up brown stuff. In the early spring when green stuff just starts to grow, those 8 to 9 adults can keep all the good stuff eaten off as it sprouts. When things start to green up, I leave them locked in the permanent run a week to ten days to give the grass a chance to get established.