Rotation Gardening with Chickens

[Manda_Rae]

Has anyone done the Garden Rotation plots with Chickens? Can I see your setup? I want to do this in the Front yard this spring.
This is the example I found that I want to try.

 

[flowerbug]

it's a good idea to rotate them, but i don't keep chickens here so i can't say from experience. it does seem to be a common thing though as they sure can strip an area bare if you let them.

 

[meadow]

That looks like a nice setup!

I've thought about something similar, but more along the lines of a portable shelter that could be moved from bed to bed as desired (and off of the garden at times too). I'm probably definitely too greedy about gardening space to leave so much fallow for an entire season.

Years ago I watched a youtuber (Justin Rhodes) that pastured his chickens so that they could 'work' the area he would be gardening. His current thumbnails look pretty wild , but he used to put out pretty informative videos. He used electrical fencing to quickly/easily setup new areas for them.

 

[Phaedra]

I am planning a similar thing! My hens stayed at the same place for more than two years. Where they are staying should be pretty fertile (and no weeds at all!), so I want to move them to another area (with a lot of weeds) when spring comes.

I did make a small trial last year - part of the area hens used became the hoop tunnel. As there was no weed, I could immediately grow veggies after applying a thick layer of homemade compost.

 

[ducks4you]

If you have a permanent wooden coop it might be impossible.
I have one of these, if that helps.

https://www.amazon.com/Bicaquu-Foldable-Zipper-Chicken-Transparent/dp/B08N62CQ79

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Chicken "Tractors" are used by many sustainable vegetable farmers, and it's an old concept.

 

[AMKuska]

My chickens have been a great help in my backyard gardens. I used to tractor them over my front garden beds, but unfortunately one of my neighbor's dogs is perpetually getting loose and would eat them. We're hoping when the lumber prices come down to extend our own fence so that my garden is behind it. This would keep the neighbor's dog out because even if it could jump the fence, it's terrified of my chihuahuas.

 

[ducks4you]

UNfortunately, the animals are cheap$ but it's all of the other stuff that we buy to Keep them/Use them to breaks our wallet!
Like the comets I bought last year, cost less than 30 cents each. 15 survived in the 100 gallon water tank I was using during the drought for one of my cherry trees and I wasn't growing mosquitoes there.
Couldn't stand to kill them, so I spent nearly 50 bucks on a 10 gallon tank and extras to keep them alive until May.
When I get chickens again, I will use my "Peck and Play," in my garden. Since the big garden is visible from my firepit I will sit and burn and keep an eye on them and only keep them in it when I can babysit.
MY GS would probably only chase them. Once in awhile a neighbor's dog gets loose, boy chasing him, and, being a Pitbull I am sure he would like to have fresh chicken.
I can keep my pellet gun AND a shovel close by if I am outside and the dog shows up again. A strong whack to the rear end would discourage him.
If you want your chickens to work them in your garden AND walk away, maybe even leave them out overnight, it WILL cost you to buy, or time AND money to build something that works.

 

[canesisters]

I saw something a long time ago where it was set up like a wheel.
Coop in the middle and several wedge-shaped pens around it. They planted cover crop/grass behind the chickens so that by the time they made it around the wheel, there was deep 'pasture' waiting for them.