curly_kate
Garden Addicted
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Welcome! I'm just outside of Cincinnati, on the Indiana side. 
New here from Ohio
- Thread starter DebFred
- Start date
Smart Red
Garden Master
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Welcome! Glad to have you growing with us here at TEG.
Spent a weekend in Ohio once. Very lucrative and lots of fun. Of course that was during my mis-spent youth.
Love, Smart Red
Spent a weekend in Ohio once. Very lucrative and lots of fun. Of course that was during my mis-spent youth.
Love, Smart Red
baymule
Garden Master
A big Texas HOWDY! And Welcome to TEG!! Sounds like you have a big yard. 
row I would love to have that much space. You are in the right place to learn how to maximize your space and make it produce all it can!
row I would love to have that much space. You are in the right place to learn how to maximize your space and make it produce all it can!- Thread starter
- #14
Loving this site already! You all sound so friendly. I think half an acre as small. I grew up on 16 acres in Kentucky. That was small for down there. We used to have a place with 11 acres, but had to move. It was good while it lasted. The boys grew up there and it was safe. I didn't want them growing up in a city or subdivision. Now they are grown and we are happy with our place. The Hubby has a big shed 20 X36 and loves it. He wants to do the raised garden beds. I don't know. He seems to think we can incorporate the chickens with the garden. I don't agree. I think the chickens would devour the plants, esp when first planted. I do plan on using the chicken and rabbit poop as compost then fertilizer. We will for sure after this summer. And let the chickens in there to scratch and till for us. And then cover for the winter so it is easier to plant. That's in theory anyway.
The only thing I don't plan on growing is corn. Our neighbor grows silver queen to sell, and we can get alllll we want or could possibly use. I want to can and put up food as well. That will be interesting. I used to help on the farm in KY, but I was a youngster then, so I did the grunt work. Picking and shucking and snapping beans. Also got really good at killing potato bugs with small rocks! We always had a large garden, but for survival, not fun. I wasn't allowed in the kitchen when the pressure canner was going. Mamaw said it was too dangerous. I can remember lying in bed at night listening to the cans seal. And waking up smelling bacon frying and coffee brewing.....Those were the days. Only downside was no indoor water, so no indoor plumbing = an outhouse. Didn't miss that at all when we moved to Cincinnati!
Rambled on too long. Thanks for being patient.
The only thing I don't plan on growing is corn. Our neighbor grows silver queen to sell, and we can get alllll we want or could possibly use. I want to can and put up food as well. That will be interesting. I used to help on the farm in KY, but I was a youngster then, so I did the grunt work. Picking and shucking and snapping beans. Also got really good at killing potato bugs with small rocks! We always had a large garden, but for survival, not fun. I wasn't allowed in the kitchen when the pressure canner was going. Mamaw said it was too dangerous. I can remember lying in bed at night listening to the cans seal. And waking up smelling bacon frying and coffee brewing.....Those were the days. Only downside was no indoor water, so no indoor plumbing = an outhouse. Didn't miss that at all when we moved to Cincinnati!
Rambled on too long. Thanks for being patient.
digitS'
Garden Master
Oh, we like rambling - or, most of us do!
Welcome to the easy garden forum, DebFred
!
We also like trying to be helpful . . . I've had chickens for many years but never tried to put them right in the garden. Back when they free-ranged and I lived way out in the country, there was just a livestock fence around the garden. The chickens could walk right thru but the dogs knew that the chickens were NOT allowed in the garden - altho' they were. Luckily, the chickens had several more acres of pasture, forest and corrals to hang out in or the arrangement may not have worked out as well as it did.
Here is an idea that might help: the chicken tractor. Andy Lee wrote a book about using one in a garden setting. I bet you can find that in your library. Here is a little something about them in Seeds of Change (link). I haven't tried it but the idea and those who use them have been around a long time.
We hope there are lots of ramblings and pictures and such about your gardening adventure, DebFred.
Steve
Welcome to the easy garden forum, DebFred
!We also like trying to be helpful . . . I've had chickens for many years but never tried to put them right in the garden. Back when they free-ranged and I lived way out in the country, there was just a livestock fence around the garden. The chickens could walk right thru but the dogs knew that the chickens were NOT allowed in the garden - altho' they were. Luckily, the chickens had several more acres of pasture, forest and corrals to hang out in or the arrangement may not have worked out as well as it did.
Here is an idea that might help: the chicken tractor. Andy Lee wrote a book about using one in a garden setting. I bet you can find that in your library. Here is a little something about them in Seeds of Change (link). I haven't tried it but the idea and those who use them have been around a long time.
We hope there are lots of ramblings and pictures and such about your gardening adventure, DebFred.
Steve
Jared77
Garden Addicted
Welcome from Michigan!
I'm with you on not growing corn. All it seems to me is a big sign that attracts every critter around to come stomp through and raid the garden. From deer, to turkeys, coons, why would I want to attract them when I can go buy it locally from someone who's set up to or has enough that they can absorb the losses? I agree get it from the neighbor!
On the subject of livestock and gardening I saw a unique idea (I wish I could remember where I saw it at Id gladly share the link) where you have your coop and you fence in 2 large runs between the coop, one on each side of the coop. If you have a heavy breed of chicken you can just have a high fence or you could clip the flight feathers (which is totally harmless its done in the pet hobby all the time for those who have pet birds) so the chickens couldn't fly. Anyway the areas are fenced off and you have your 2 runs with a coop in the middle. The coop has 2 chicken doors, 1 on each side giving the birds access to each run.
Lets say the runs are on the East and West sides of the coop to make things easier as I explain this.
For example in Year 1 the east run has chickens in it. The east door on the coop is open so chickens they can go in and out, eat, roost at night etc. and the west door is closed so your birds can ONLY access the east run. The west run is tilled up and planted as a garden. Then when the gardens all done in the fall, the east door is closed shutting off access to the east run, and the west door is opened and the chickens have full access to the garden. They eat whats left, scratch, poop etc in that area all through the following year. No need to till it, just let them in and have at it. The chickens continue to have access to the west run all through year 2.
Now on the East run in year 2 door stays closed and now the east run is tilled and planted in the spring. The plants benefit from having all the animals on it from year 1. In the fall when the garden is done, you shut the west door, and open the east door just like you did in year 1 and the cycle repeats itself and the chickens get to stay in the east run all through year 3. In year 3 you till the west run and plant it as a garden.
So each year your chickens benefit from having a bunch of fresh greens to eat, and a new place to explore, chase bugs in, and be chickens in. The ground gets the benefit of being rested for a year by not being planted and it gets replenished by having the chickens on it for a whole year.
Another thought would be to go with tractors. Do a search for chicken tractors TON of info on those out there. You can easily tractor rabbits the same way but you have to put something down like some strips of metal like aluminum or threaded rods to keep them from digging out. I'm planning on doing this when I get my meat rabbit project going. Great way to finish weaned ones so I'm cutting feed costs and raising healthier meat. I've even toyed with the idea of putting the rabbit tractors in the garden (some folks do this with chicken tractors too) between the planted rows so they deposit their manure right into the garden. I just hate to waste those little time released bunny nuggets of gardening magic (aka rabbit poop)
Another idea I saw was someone built their rabbit hutches OVER compost piles so the manure went right into the pile. That was for their breeders and they put their weaned rabbits in a tractor and raised them there till they got to processing age/weight. LOTS of really unique ideas out there that you can apply or modify and put to good use..
Sorry to on like that but its something I'm pretty excited about and am DYING to get these projects started.
I'm with you on not growing corn. All it seems to me is a big sign that attracts every critter around to come stomp through and raid the garden. From deer, to turkeys, coons, why would I want to attract them when I can go buy it locally from someone who's set up to or has enough that they can absorb the losses? I agree get it from the neighbor!
On the subject of livestock and gardening I saw a unique idea (I wish I could remember where I saw it at Id gladly share the link) where you have your coop and you fence in 2 large runs between the coop, one on each side of the coop. If you have a heavy breed of chicken you can just have a high fence or you could clip the flight feathers (which is totally harmless its done in the pet hobby all the time for those who have pet birds) so the chickens couldn't fly. Anyway the areas are fenced off and you have your 2 runs with a coop in the middle. The coop has 2 chicken doors, 1 on each side giving the birds access to each run.
Lets say the runs are on the East and West sides of the coop to make things easier as I explain this.
For example in Year 1 the east run has chickens in it. The east door on the coop is open so chickens they can go in and out, eat, roost at night etc. and the west door is closed so your birds can ONLY access the east run. The west run is tilled up and planted as a garden. Then when the gardens all done in the fall, the east door is closed shutting off access to the east run, and the west door is opened and the chickens have full access to the garden. They eat whats left, scratch, poop etc in that area all through the following year. No need to till it, just let them in and have at it. The chickens continue to have access to the west run all through year 2.
Now on the East run in year 2 door stays closed and now the east run is tilled and planted in the spring. The plants benefit from having all the animals on it from year 1. In the fall when the garden is done, you shut the west door, and open the east door just like you did in year 1 and the cycle repeats itself and the chickens get to stay in the east run all through year 3. In year 3 you till the west run and plant it as a garden.
So each year your chickens benefit from having a bunch of fresh greens to eat, and a new place to explore, chase bugs in, and be chickens in. The ground gets the benefit of being rested for a year by not being planted and it gets replenished by having the chickens on it for a whole year.
Another thought would be to go with tractors. Do a search for chicken tractors TON of info on those out there. You can easily tractor rabbits the same way but you have to put something down like some strips of metal like aluminum or threaded rods to keep them from digging out. I'm planning on doing this when I get my meat rabbit project going. Great way to finish weaned ones so I'm cutting feed costs and raising healthier meat. I've even toyed with the idea of putting the rabbit tractors in the garden (some folks do this with chicken tractors too) between the planted rows so they deposit their manure right into the garden. I just hate to waste those little time released bunny nuggets of gardening magic (aka rabbit poop)
Another idea I saw was someone built their rabbit hutches OVER compost piles so the manure went right into the pile. That was for their breeders and they put their weaned rabbits in a tractor and raised them there till they got to processing age/weight. LOTS of really unique ideas out there that you can apply or modify and put to good use.. Sorry to on like that but its something I'm pretty excited about and am DYING to get these projects started.
bobm
Garden Master
On the subject of livestock and gardening... please remember that what is sold as chickenwire is so flimsy that it only keeps chickens or rabbits in, NOT keeps any selfrespecting predator out. Predators will go over, under, around or through any type of enclosure that they can breach. A small garden will only last a day to a few days when enthusiastic chickens are first let in, not an entire season. I bet the investment in the amount of secure fencing needed to surround and cover both of the gardens will exeed the garden yield. As for tractors in a garden that has rows... ever try to move that tractor over them and / or over the crop plants ?
GardeNerd
Deeply Rooted
Hi and Welcome from Southern California.
There are lots of gardeners around here at theeasygarden.com that also keep rabbits and chickens so you will fit right in.
There are lots of gardeners around here at theeasygarden.com that also keep rabbits and chickens so you will fit right in.
- Thread starter
- #19
Hey again.
I love the rambles too. Smiles, I know some people from Ross. Good people there.
BobM, if we do the chickens in the garden, which I am leaning away from, the chickens will be safely tucked in their coop at night. We have a dog that stays out when it is nice enough for his old bones. Only during the day, he is too old to stay out all night now, but he should deter any unwanted predators. I do worry about hawks, but they will always have access to the coop, and I want to cover part of the run. Been thinking about maybe getting some of that green plastic fencing with holes in it. Put it on stakes and repostion it for the run. That way we can move it from area A to area B to area C and so on...A thought anyway. The coop and hutch will be against the west side of the shed. There is a window there that we can run a fan from if the weather gets too hot. Not worried about the cold. We will used deep litter method for the chickens anyway.
The rabbits will always be in their hutch. Don't want them to get parasites from the ground, and I want to be able to keep a close eye on their breeding. Still not sure how to keep the poop and pee from their cages. Planning on the breeders in two cages at the top, with other cages probably underneath, but was also thinking about putting the compost under their cages. Or will that be too stinky? Arrgghhhh!!! Over thinking is my strong point, although not always a good strong point!!
I am amazed at the places we are all from. Isn't this internet wonderful? And to think when I was growing up in Ky, we didn't even have a phone. And got a TV when I was in the 6th grade. It got one channel!! Loved it though.
Glad you all like rambling. I know I do!!
Deb
I love the rambles too. Smiles, I know some people from Ross. Good people there.
BobM, if we do the chickens in the garden, which I am leaning away from, the chickens will be safely tucked in their coop at night. We have a dog that stays out when it is nice enough for his old bones. Only during the day, he is too old to stay out all night now, but he should deter any unwanted predators. I do worry about hawks, but they will always have access to the coop, and I want to cover part of the run. Been thinking about maybe getting some of that green plastic fencing with holes in it. Put it on stakes and repostion it for the run. That way we can move it from area A to area B to area C and so on...A thought anyway. The coop and hutch will be against the west side of the shed. There is a window there that we can run a fan from if the weather gets too hot. Not worried about the cold. We will used deep litter method for the chickens anyway.
The rabbits will always be in their hutch. Don't want them to get parasites from the ground, and I want to be able to keep a close eye on their breeding. Still not sure how to keep the poop and pee from their cages. Planning on the breeders in two cages at the top, with other cages probably underneath, but was also thinking about putting the compost under their cages. Or will that be too stinky? Arrgghhhh!!! Over thinking is my strong point, although not always a good strong point!!
I am amazed at the places we are all from. Isn't this internet wonderful? And to think when I was growing up in Ky, we didn't even have a phone. And got a TV when I was in the 6th grade. It got one channel!! Loved it though.
Glad you all like rambling. I know I do!!
Deb
thistlebloom
Garden Master
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Hi DebFred! Welcome from north Idaho! Been enjoying your conversation.
Welcome from north Idaho! Been enjoying your conversation. 
