WIP My take on Fowl plus Garden

[CrealCritter]

Several years ago I seen this photo on the internet somewhere. There was an article that went with the picture but I can't find it now. Basically it's a chicken garden. Chickens on the right side for one year,, garden on the left. Then the following year chickens on the left and garden on the right. Continue rotate every year. I see a lot of advantages to such a setup.

So I set out to use the rotation scheme but changed it up a little. A few weeks ago my neighbor and I built woven wire fence the area is 112' x 106' with a pull of fence down the middle. This way we can have our 50' x 100' garden every year with 3' at the end of each of the rows to turn the tiller around in.

Now I'm going to build a 8' x 16' coop and place it outside of the chicken garden. With two coop doors for chickens to access each of the 56' by 106'. I also added a 12' gate for each 56' by 106'.

Here a picture of what I got done so far. Sorry had to snap this picture in landscape to capture it all.

Here's the chickens and temporary 4' x 8' coop on the west side 56' x 106'. The chickens have a lot of room to roam about an 1/8 of an acre.

The coop was supposed to be a duck house but my wife could never get the ducks to take to it. So I just added 4 perchs and the chickens like it, plus I can move it around easy with the bobcat. We put them in there yesterday evening and opened the door this morning. Chickens seem happy happy happy and there's a lot of grass for the to eat and scratch through and poop on 👍

The whole set up It's still a WIP (work in progress) but I planted the garden on the east side this spring, got the railroad ties cemented in, t-posts set on 8' centers, fence built, gates hung and finally got chickens on the westside, so it's somewhat functional now.

My neighbor said why not put a couple of hogs or goats or lambs in with the chickens and build a movable shelter for them, you got two nice little pens here now. I said we'll see what happens over time... I just really build it for fowl (chickens and turkeys) and a garden. I'm pretty happy with the way it's turning out so far.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Hinotori]

I'll tell you that squash does not care if chicken poop is fresh. It just loves it. Monster zucchini plants even in containers with it. I had a third of the planter filled with fresh cleaned out litter.

 

[Hinotori]

Urgh. Well that's the link to the article. I read Backwoods Home. Ive had it bookmarked forever

 

[The Porch]

So I am most likely going to do an whole new chicken coop and garden set up. Where as I like this idea, I want to expand on it. Nuts.......... Gary DH and I were just talking how the current coop is to small in the fall/winter/spring rain, there isnt enough coop floor space.

I said I wanted the coop @CrealCritter 8X16 with the door on a 16foot side, an eave over hang long enough on 2 sides so the chickens are out of the snow and rain, then I want to partially cover from the coop roof out into the run to keep the rain out of the coop & provide shade/rain cover.




As for the garden / compost area I will have to work up my plans, but I want them close to the coop.

GREAT MINDS think alike hahahaha

 

[CrealCritter]

So I am most likely going to do an whole new chicken coop and garden set up. Where as I like this idea, I want to expand on it. Nuts.......... Gary DH and I were just talking how the current coop is to small in the fall/winter/spring rain, there isnt enough coop floor space.

I said I wanted the coop @CrealCritter 8X16 with the door on a 16foot side, an eave over hang long enough on 2 sides so the chickens are out of the snow and rain, then I want to partially cover from the coop roof out into the run to keep the rain out of the coop & provide shade/rain cover.


View attachment 16881

As for the garden / compost area I will have to work up my plans, but I want them close to the coop.

GREAT MINDS think alike hahahaha

For the coop, I was thinking on doing a 8x16 floating cement pad for the floor. But now I think I'll just lay down some RR ties for the sill and a dirt floor instead.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[CrealCritter]

Dirt is good for deep litter. Bad for keeping rodents out. They try and shelter in my large fowl coop even though there is no food to get.

I hear you and that did cross my mind... I was thinking I may just go ahead and tack some rat wire to the inside of the RR ties and have it cover the floor. Then deep bed on-top of the rat wire. I like the deep beding method. Just spread out a layer of barn lime (cheap) then add another layer of whatever you have handy (leaves, hay, straw, sawdust, wood chips, etc..) repeat when it gets stinky. When it's full, pitch fork it out and DYN-O-MITE fertilizer for the garden 👍

Something like this.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Hinotori]

I have 1/4 inch hardware cloth all around the sides and back of the silkie pens.

I put down a deep layer of wood pellet when I first started the large fowl coop. I've only had to put lime down 3 times in 8 years. All of those were in the first year. Once it was well established, it stayed about perfect with me just adding wood shavings once or twice a year. The worms are very active in there. No smell and the top stays dry even with our rain.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

I have seen something similar but always wondered if the chicken poop would still be too "hot" in the next season to garden in. I will be following your journey and am excited to hear what you learn.

 

[Hinotori]

https://www.backwoodshome.com/save-time-and-energy-with-the-fenced-chicken-coopgarden/

 

[CrealCritter]

Urgh. Well that's the link to the article. I read Backwoods Home. Ive had it bookmarked forever

Thank You 👍

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸