I have been trying to make free-range keeping of birds around my yard, plus keep them from going after plantings in immediate vicinity of the house. The mowed yard is roughly 3 acres and I currently have 7 juvenile chickens, two hens and a rooster plus a small number of chicks. The birds roost in multiple pens that are scattered on eastern half of yard . Pens are mobile and small; only 4 feet x 5 feet by 5 feet tall. In my orchard that covers roughly 1/4 acre I have five rows of fruit tree and one started of grapes. Most of the orchard area is mowed like balance of yard except for strips that trees are lined up in.
The strips are now 8 weeks into not being mowed and have lots of grasses and forbes coming up to about 16 inches tall. Between strips are cut areas roughly a mower blade wide (52 inches).
When birds are out and foraging actual orchard, they are spending most of their time in areas not mowed. There are areas similar to the un-mowed strips at perimeter of orchard are largely ignored.
Pens closed with birds getting ready to sleep.
Pens open with birds running about.
The strips are now 8 weeks into not being mowed and have lots of grasses and forbes coming up to about 16 inches tall. Between strips are cut areas roughly a mower blade wide (52 inches).
When birds are out and foraging actual orchard, they are spending most of their time in areas not mowed. There are areas similar to the un-mowed strips at perimeter of orchard are largely ignored.
Pens closed with birds getting ready to sleep.
Pens open with birds running about.
