Not much on here about chickens in the garden so thought I’d ask some questions.. I’ve recently built myself a coop and got 4 chooks (2x Isa Browns and 2x Light Sussex) My main reasons for getting chooks were for my kids and an attempt to “complete the cycle” with the veggie patch etc.

I’m running a deep little system in the coop which consists of a thick (100mm minimum) layer of straw, mulch etc for them for fertilize and scratch around in. It’s kind of like a big compost heap. Mine now consists of tree loppers’ mulch, hay, nut shells, leaves and of course, their droppings. They turn it over for me when they scratch, its going great and greatly reduces the smell.

My question is can I work this litter straight into the veggie patch or should I remove it first and let it rest. I was considering of working the whole lot in, wait a couple of weeks and then plant but I’m not sure.

Thanks

I'm chuffed you started this thread.
I know nothing about chooks so will be watching this eagerly

Without knowing what sort of block of land you have I'd suggest you check out chicken tractors and permaculture.
Lived in tassie for a few years and we had this system running which is brilliant.

Hiya we are just in the process of finishing our coop and getting around 10 birdies.

We too will be doing the deep litter system. From reading on other sites it seems to be 50-50. Some people prefer to let it break down whilst others happily dig it straight into their gardens.

There are two great chook forums that I refer to www.australianpoultryforum.com and http://forum.backyardpoultry.com
- not sure whether you knew about them.

Thanks Fu,

There's heaps of info online, but as with gardening, a lot of it is contradicting. So I'll just comment on my experiences.

I thought about the chicken tractor setup. I'm on a typical (melb east) outer suburban block of about 800sq/m. My main concern with the tractor was the lack of protection underneath, so I went with a permanent 3x3m run (2m tall) with an elevated sleeping quarters. I've only got the 4 birds and I allow them to roam the rest of the yard every other day. I have a cage around and over the veggie patch (1.5x4.5m) so I'll let them in there when I want them to clean up\fertilise the patch. I've run a brick footing around the perimeter of the run. I've had one attack so far and the footing stopped whatever was trying to dig under (a fox I guess) but what ever it was tore the wire mesh where it was attached to the frame. So I've done some modifications.

Thanks for those sites Kyton, I browse on them regularly. I've diluted some chook manure with water and applied that to the veggies, and that seems to had a positive result.

Our birds were only about 16-20 weeks old when we got them on Mothers day this year. I didn't expect too many eggs until mid winter but one of the isa browns has started laying this weekend and we seem to be getting one a day from her.

I'm really interested in this also. We will be getting some chooks so I follow the chook threads with interest. Do you have any pics of your set-up zaff?

Am subscribing to this thread too! Would love to have 2 chooks. Most likely not on the agenda for another 6 months.

I'm in with my 5 girls!

Using the deep litter directly on the garden will depend on the fresh manure content in it and the plants you want to use it on....

Erin has a really nice looking chicken coop/pen area and Kytons is a chook hilton. I'd love to see pics of any others people have other than the tractors. I'm still of a mind to convince hubby to get chooks and would have a coop for them. We have foxes and feral cats here so ours have to be secured.

Not any current pics unfortunetly, but here's a pics of when I've finished the frame and mesh. I'll get some pics up during the week. Here's also a pic of the girls when I got them the light sussex (white ones) are now twice the size. The hen house is not elevated up the back of the coop etc.

I wanted the get chooks to get a steady supply of eggs and manure, but they have been a real delight to keep. They require such little time and money to maintain. But what they do require is for you to go out to the garden at least every morning and night for only 30 seconds to check food\water and to open\close their little door on the hen house. For me (and my wife and kids) that's a good excuse to spend more time outside in the garden.

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* offers Fu a tissue.

Hey
Going back to your original question, I would just put it straight onto the vegie patch. I have ducks and when we used to use a lot of straw, especially with ducklings, we would put the messy straw straight onto the garden. The ducks would nuzzle it into the soil. We used to put it into the compost bins but they choked with so much straw. We also started using pea straw, I guess coz it's better for the soil, adding more nitrogen i spose.

Thanks Ducky

I'll be subscribing to this one too! my DH has promised me I can finally get some Chickens when we move into our new house! We are definitely in fox country, so a secure home for my girls to be will be on the agenda.

Since my last post, we've lost one of our girls.. Next doors cat got to her and ripped her tail feathers out....she survived another two weeks but wasn't herself and I found her dead one morning when I went to let them out......

In some strange twist of fate the same cat ended up dead by lunchtime the same day after entering our dogs yard and being drowned by one of the dogs playing with it in deep water at the base of our tanks....

Karma

Sandra

Oh Deemaree

I hope to have 2 or possibly 3 birds in our new garden , thinking Silkies as they are ment to be very ''child friendly '' . We are in a inner city suburb and won't have a very big garden , has anyone got a similar set up ?

Our coop is finally finished. Off to a local chook auction tomorrow - fingers crossed we get some chookies.

Silkies are supposed to be friendly. My isa browns are very sociable, one of them will actually come up and sit while my daughter pats it. Must get it on camera, it's hilarious. And their egg production is much better than silkies if that's what you are into.

Oh no Dee that's terrible. I hadn't thought of cats as being such a risk - your poor chook. I really want to get some of the heritage breeds if I can, but I won't have enough room for the big ones. Have been stalking poultry forums for ideas.