# MANAGING PROPERTY FOR BETTERING THE CHICKEN EXPERIENCE: GRAPE ARBOR



## Closed Flock (Nov 17, 2020)

The are several things I have been doing to provide better habitat for my chickens. Most are related to plant communities and their management. There are no monoculture grass patches here.

Current interest deals installing a grape arbor for grapes, kids and chickens. Below is something that will be in place by spring. Not my property shown. I have been watching the grapes as shown for over 15 years and will be making mine look similar. Cultivars to be used not yet selected although Concords currently in place have a fungus issue that is well known for my locality. Cattle panels are bent to form a tunnel with vines planted at what appear to be 4 foot intervals on each side. It looks like a green tube when leave are on. Special roosters will be house in pens that are moved inside the tube to spread their impact on the soil. The free-range chickens can retreat to it for shade.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's rather ingenious using the cattle panels. I've only ever seen them growing on wire strung between posts.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

That is a very good idea as well as inexpensive and long lasting!


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## Slippy (May 14, 2020)

@Closed Flock

I Like the way you think!


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## Closed Flock (Nov 17, 2020)

Here is my actual situation to be expanded upon. Currently only a single cattle panel in place that was installed about 5 years ago. Grapes did not grow well until a chicken was caged there for a while in the fall. When the next 9 panels with vines are added, the pen will be moved progressively down the row each fall through winter to apply nutrients. The row of chicken pens are positioned over where they panels will be installed next spring. The panels make it difficult for a fox or great-horned owl to work when dogs are concentrating most of their defensive efforts on pens some distance away.























In about a week the pens will be shifted down hill on to fresh grass allowing that being foraged over to recover when ground warms in early spring.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

That, is some good planning!


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## Closed Flock (Nov 17, 2020)

Poultry Judge said:


> That, is some good planning!


I have been muddling through with experimentation trying streamline approach all along. I had to get real with it so when kids come home I have time to tend to their needs, work, and my needs. In the past everything involved too much work, in part because of too many birds. Bird number considerably reduced and managed acreage over which pens can be moved greatly increased and arranged so less actual moving of pens required. I still will have to move each pen about 120 yards to barnyard during the winter. Then move them to a third location for the summer. Then in fall move them back to where they are now.

The moving protects soil and plant community and reduces internal parasite issues.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Moving the pens very much helps with ground borne parasites.


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## Closed Flock (Nov 17, 2020)

Poultry Judge said:


> Moving the pens very much helps with ground borne parasites.


You will find many that disagree or they see prophylactic use of deworming agents as the only approach. Any bird that I have to worm gets culled.


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