chooks not clearing grass in their dome

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by coastalhelen, Jan 25, 2007.

  1. coastalhelen

    coastalhelen Junior Member

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    I've set up my vege patch using Linda Woodrow's mandela system, but find that my 10 chooks (in their chook dome of course) aren't clearing the grass very well. I leave them on the one patch for up to 6 weeks, by which time it's heavily mulched, but I still have problems with lots of grass coming through competing with my seedlings. On one spot I wasn't quick enough to plant it out and the grass fully took over within a fortnight. food scraps, garden stuff and commercial chook grain is their food and I make sure it's thrown around the dome so that they have to scratch. Have I got really slack chooks or what?

    Have used this forum a lot and have learnt heaps and so far have been able to nut out any little problems, but this one is beyond me.

    thanks for any help you can give.....
     
  2. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    coastalhelen,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Just a couple of things on your system. If you mow the grass first, really scalp it and water it well, when the regrowth starts you can then put the chooks on. The idea is they either dig the roots up, pull them out or repeatedly consume the top bit so it starves the roots and kills them.

    Feeding chooks commercial feed will also address all of their dietary needs which means your chooks should still lay well but wont scavenge well. I would be tempted to stop the commercial feed and toss a handful of wheat/corn in for them.

    A chicken tractor is akin to cell grazing [for sheep] which is often jokingly referred to as 'controlled starvation'.

    Lastly, do you have any nut grass as it would take chooks an indefinite period to kill that stuff off.

    Hope this helps,

    floot
     
  3. Precog

    Precog Junior Member

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    Re: chooks not clearing grass in their dome

    Hi there,

    Its best to let the chooks totally clear the area of grass first before planting or throwing in mulch. Just scatter a bit of chook seed for the chooks daily to supplement their diet, and they will scratch around baring up the grass in no time searching for the seed. As Floot says, mowing the grass as close to the ground will give the chooks a head start.
     
  4. Richard on Maui

    Richard on Maui Junior Member

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    The success of chicken tractors in clearing sites well depends on so many variables. The number of chickens to the area of the tractor being a big factor in determining how long it takes. It definitely requires responsive management. YOu have to intervene at the right moment... as Floot said, there are various things you can do to help the chooks along. If you wait until the chooks have completely cleared the grass before you put in mulch, two things are probably going to happen. The chickens will compact that soil, and you will lose a lot of nitrogen to the atmosphere and to leaching (unless you have totally covered the tractor and there is no water. Carbon mulch will absorb a lot of the nitrogen and make it available to the soil gradually.
    If there is still grass there when you start adding mulch, you are pretty much committing yourself to keeping the chooks on there until the grass underneat the mulch has died from lack of light, and the chooks will help by eating or scratching anything that gets through. But it will take time.
    A frequently added light layer is probably a good medium road... Or just starting with a layer of carboard or newspaper and putting a deep enough layer of mulch that the chooks never actually see the soil but just manure the mulch and eat any seeds in the mulch would be another way...
     
  5. coastalhelen

    coastalhelen Junior Member

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    thanks for the tips! never considered mowing the grass first and I'll reluctantly forego my usual 8 to 9 eggs a day to get my patches cleared. In fact, I think I'll go shift the girls to a new spot now. Unlike Linda's chook dome it takes a wee bit longer than 10 minutes to shift ...

    thanks again.
     
  6. baringapark

    baringapark Junior Member

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    What you describe is exactly what I have been challenged with for the last few years. I have tried to no avail to follow Linda's system.

    The soil compaction is also a big issue for me if I leave the chooks on too long.

    I am now cheating!! I do not throw in mulch. I let the chooks clear the area to the best of their ability (young cockerels left to grow on are VERY lazy), then I move the dome. I have started adding lime and gypsum as my soil is deficient and then I water in. Next day I use a small tiller and till the area. This is the only thing that works for me. I have loam/clay soils.

    I guess what Linda says is true, about taking her ideas and adapting them to your situation. I am no longer ashamed of my tilling as I have some nice vegies growing this season.

    E
     
  7. PennyG

    PennyG Junior Member

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    I use chicken domes and haven't had much problem with grass. My soil is quite light so that may be the difference. Some breeds of chooks are better scratchers than others - I use Rhode Island Reds. They have commercial pellets available in a feeder. I don't use as much mulch as Linda recommends. They get all the kitchen scraps and most of the weeds and some shredded paper. I keep them on each bed for 3 weeks. After moving them off I wait a week to let the weed seeds sprout then hoe the bed before planting.
     
  8. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Sometimes I really do wonder. I seriously do.
    ......................''
     
  9. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Baringa,

    Linda's 'system' may be based more on external inputs than hard work.

    Having said that. I do not know this to be the case.

    Baringapark, from my reading you are doing wonderfully with free range black pigs. I love that..
     

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