# Pasture ideas



## CadesLilFarm (Mar 4, 2014)

I have been letting my flock free range since early fall, and hsve been extremely pleased with the results! However, we will be planting the garden and flowers soon, and we will need to keep the chickens out of them. I still want to let them have access to grass and bugs, so I want to make a pasture for them. I have thirteen chickens, so I need the pasture to be big enough so that they don't scratch up all of the grass in a week and to where it is just dirt. Would 2/10ths or 3/10ths of an acre work for this? 

Cade


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A lot depends on where you live, how hot and dry it gets in Summer. 3/10 might be enough in MI where grass grows all Summer but not in S. TN where rain doesn't happen much in the Summer months.


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

I agree, one's climate makes a big difference on what will grow and if foraging is even available for much of the year. There's not much if anything to eat around here from November to the middle of March or later. 
It really depends on how many chickens as well. If you want to fence in an area that probably isn't enough space to give the chickens much in the line of bugs. They'll eradicate all the protein sources first, then the vegetation and finally the seeds. 
Another option is to take that 1/3 acre and portion it into 3 or 4 plots and rotate the pens weekly to give the rest time to recover. They don't eat a lot of vegetation but clear it by scratching.
The things I like to plant (depending on season) are peas, buckwheat, radish, beets, turnips, chickory, sorghum, clover and alfalfa. There is a forage type turnip called 7-top that puts most of its energy into vegetative growth.
Alfalfa is hard to establish but once done, it's hard for the chickens to kill. 
You can just get large quantities of the seed and reseed occasionally when needed.


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## Wikifarmer (Feb 26, 2017)

From our experience, growing Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in an area next to your flock is one of the cheapest and healtiest ways to feed your birds.
You can take a look on how to grow Alfalfa.
http://www.wikifarmer.com/explore/agriculture/forage/alfalfa/growing-alfalfa


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi Wikifarmer, and thanks for the info. I've often thought of alfalfa and my horse's stable board has lots of the fines that fall off. What a treat!

Something I read once is a chicken owner made a big garden on one side of his coop and one on the other and rotated sides giving the chickens the used side. Some patch like that would keep their interest away from the yard grass. The other thing is deer netting is cheap and normally comes folded at 7 feet by about 100 feet so it's much easier to fence with it and the investment is like $20.00
I find the problem with lawn is that they dig a hole to dust bathe. I would rake up the hole and lay a piece of wire fencing over it.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I just bought a roll of deer netting on Amazon for $17 and some change.It will hopefully keep my chickens off the front porch and out of my garden.In the past I used 48" tall fencing but the chickens could clear that and get my tomatoes.If they can clear 7' tall fence,they deserve the tomatoes.....


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

chickenqueen said:


> I just bought a roll of deer netting on Amazon for $17 and some change.It will hopefully keep my chickens off the front porch and out of my garden.In the past I used 48" tall fencing but the chickens could clear that and get my tomatoes.If they can clear 7' tall fence,they deserve the tomatoes.....


Be glad you dont have Hamburgs, they can fly very high...like up on the roof of your house lol. 
Snip Snip


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I clip wings on those who can't stay where they should.


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## trottier911 (Nov 1, 2016)

The best thing about alfafa is they grow huge tap roots that loosen up the soil. After 4 years, it is just like working in newly broke land. So soft and easy to till and the alfafa puts a lot of nitrogen in the soil
You will be amazed at how soft and weed free the soil is after using alfafa.
Take care.
Albert


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Can I just sow alfalfa in the bare spots like grass seed?I want to plant something the chickens like w/o a lot of work and expense.I gave up growing grass in those areas.....


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