Combining Chickens & Garden - Chicken Coop / Garden Combo

[Nifty]

Hey all!

I've been really excited about this BYC thread: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=36432

Here is a link to the main article discussed:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/silveira44a.html

The concept thoroughly excites me and combines two of my favorite hobbies into one glorious masterpiece of engineering efficiency!

I'd love to start a discussion here that focuses more on the gardening / soil building aspect of this project and hopefully share experiences.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I LOVE this idea!!!! I must have missed the thread on BYC, but I will read it. I think this idea is great. however, the initial set up of the area will take some time. I have jsut staked out my garden area. But, with this info, I just have to move it a bit and it will definitely be doable for me.

Thanks for posting this pic!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Okay, while I was out in the yard--I was pondering this.....Is there too much of a good thng? As inchicken poop? Just curious, as I'm sure it would depend on how many chickens you let work the ground

 

[Tutter]

I've contemplated something like this, but it wouldn't work for our main garden for many reasons, not the least of which being that it would negatively affect our certification.

Then, I thought, maybe just a smaller garden....but due to the configuration of the property by the house, the chicken coop would have to go too far from the house, into the paws of predators.

I'm still working on it in my mind, though! Maybe something will come to me.

 

[littlelemon]

That is great!

However, I prefer to let my chickens have a lot of room to roam, and in order get any good concentration of manure on the ground they would have to be in pretty close quarters.

It's kind of like using a chicken tractor for preparing a garden bed. It's good in theory, but in order for chickens to really work the ground they have to be overtop of the same ground for a decent amount of time, denying them fresh grazing, and keeping them in their own manure.

I let my chickens graze in my garden after I harvest it in the fall, and then I use their manure for compost, so I am already using my chickens for gardening, just not quite as efficiently.

That is a neat set-up though, especially if you are limited on backyard space.

 

[vickig]

Won't chicken droppings burn the roots? And won't the chickens as they are pecking up root everything?

Just curious

 

[Beekissed]

It is an excellent plan for folks who, for some reason or other, cannot free range their chickens anyway. Love the well-thought out design!!!! I am one of those folks that love things to have utilitarian value, as well as beauty. This looks like something Joel Salatin would come up with....I think he is the berries!

Unfortunately, due to the lay of my land, the structure locations, etc. it wouldn't be practical for me...but I had already thought of a little something like this. I had to put my chickens in a run temporarily, until my garden is big enough to withstand the scratching and pecking. Well, at the closest end of this rectangular run is where they seem to hang the most. It is also where I had planned to have a minigreenhouse this next winter. So, while they are confined and even later, I plan to put all my food scraps, some mulch hay, overripe veggies, etc. all spring, summer and fall in that spot. Let them scratch it, poop there, work it into the ground.....then place my minigreenhouse on that spot, add soil, and grow veggies all winter. I also have 3 cold frames in construction for the same use. I want to grow succession greens all winter until its time to plant the seeds for my garden and then utililize it for that.

Still and all, wonderful design for someone starting out with a clean slate and room for it!