Blueprints for a Gardening System Using Chickens for Fertility

These are plans for a growing system I plan to build this spring. I wanted to share the idea in the hopes of inspiring you to do the same or something similar. This will be the first video in a series following the progress of this mixed farming system.

[@karenw9996]

Two things: first, a question for you, have you considered putting a cattle panel arch over the north run & letting the squash climb it? The varieties you mention are likely too large/heavy, but a smaller variety could be grown as well as/in place of one of them - this would give you more room for other plants in your growing bed as well as providing some shade to the chickens (and a bit of protection from aerial predators) - and I suppose you could put one up over the south run too, it's just that you didn't mention any vining plants there; second, just a mention to possible new chicken owners, different breeds roost at different levels so the perch might need to be lowered (for example, Orpingtons will 'roost' on the floor of the coop, non-flighty breeds like a low roost they can 'hop' up onto). But you had me at the graph paper - I don't even know how many graph tablets I've bought over the years!

[@greeneacreshomestead]

I have, in the past, grown sugar pumpkins on arches, works great. I have a sweet dumpling squash that would be perfect for that. I like the idea, perhaps just a small section, as I want to get a decent amount of sunlight hitting those runs so they sprout/grow whatever I seed in them for forage. Most likely it will be oats or wheat… maybe a small 2’ wide arch at the north end will be added. On hot points of the season I will cover the coop with a shade cloth- Great point about the roosts and different breeds. We have been hatching chicks for so long that most of my birds can jump/fly 8’ easily. I do remember having to put a roost at 3-4’ so they could reach the higher roost when we bought Orpingtons years ago.

[@karenw9996]

@@greeneacreshomestead Well, see, there you go - I completely ignored the whole growing forage thing! I've never actually had orps, just subscribe to a channel that raises them for eggs & meat for themselves as well as to sell hatching & eating eggs/chicks/extra roosters (grown) for meat. All of theirs roost on the ground.

[@greeneacreshomestead]

Yeah they can jump a bit but are definitely big girls that need a low roost. It’s so cold up here I like to get them as far off the cold ground as possible.
I am grateful for your comment anyway because I will be adding a large arch on the north side, I really love the idea. I may even use it for a variety of grape we enjoy. Thanks for sharing!