Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
On the other hand, if you have a bit of space, your chickens will be even healthier in a
rotational-pasture arrangement. Fence in at least four paddocks, radiating out from a coop
like the petals on a daisy, with a door leading into each one. Chickens are allowed to graze
in one pasture until they begin to impact the plants, then they are turned into the next pas-
ture, and so forth. By the time they come back around to the first pasture, the greenery will
have recovered from their scratching and will be ready to feed your flock bugs and grass
again.
The third option is to have a chicken coop but to allow your chickens to go out every
day and be completely free range. Once chickens get used to a coop, they will head back
inside to roost with little help from you every night, but you'll need to close them in to
protect them from predators. Free-range chickens can wreak havoc on a garden, though.
They love to scratch up mulches and demolish berries and tomatoes.
