permaculture

[Scott Pittman <pci@permaculture-inst.org>]

> > I
> > have observed, however, that in many of the existing systems I have seen,
> > the chickens tend to hang around the hen house, digging holes in the
> > soil, than to use the whole area.  I remember that my free-ranging
> > chickens had a definite territory, and wonder if this is the case. 
> > The other possibility  is that in the existing systems,  low
> > grass has been planted, and the chickens seem loath to venture into it (
> > as it is higher than they are), preferring to eat it away at the edges.
> > Fear of predators hidden in the grass? (in this case,
> > snakes...)

My layers, that are free ranging all year except early spring, are
attached to their house and refused to stay in a tractor even in the most
delicious area. Our solution  was to create a bigger (1000 sq. feet)
movable pen, that was attached to the chicken house, and that was moved
around as needed ( it consisted of t-posts and deer net). We discovered
that we needed a cover over it so chicken would not fly out. In general
this system was less elegant, harder to deal with, unattractive, than
tractors or free range. 
My experience in both high desert and in tropics is that free range
chickens are much more happy and effective for bug control, given that
they are not allowed to overpopulate or get in the annual gardens.
Chicken tractor is a tool of increasing soil fertility, not a way of
keeping chickens, I believe. 
I use tractor selectively, when I need help over a certain area, and let
chickens out every evening for at least one hour. By sunset they go back
to their chicken house.
At our place I see chickens visit about 4 acre territory, that is mostly
shaded and has established ground covers. They especially prefer what has
been an inspiration for my chicken forest - a grove of native plum
shrubs, that have low branches, shade, and many safe and discreet places
under it.  I think any commercial operation must think about
creating natural habitat conditions, and it can include appropriate fruit
trees or shrubs, where birds can behave naturally. I have a friend, David
Trew, who teaches Animal Systems in Permaculture, and has lifetime of
experience with all sorts of domestic animals, and he believes that
normal behavior is critical for successful husbandry. A chicken tractor
does not really promote normal behavior,  unless is big enough and
placed in conditions that will replicate habitat, and that includes
trees. 
An example of dysfunctional chicken house is luck of setting instinct,
and thus luck of chicks; egg eating; pecking; boycotting a member;
physical illnesses.
> >  
> > As I am now adapting these smaller
> > backyard systems to larger commercial systems, I am looking for some
> > clear data or personal experiences on this, because my doubt is , if we
> > have more heads and a larger area, will they actually and effectively
> > occupy this whole area, or just pile up ( as I have seen until now) near
> > the henhouse, and leave the edges of the pens  untouched..

When we used larger movable pens we never had this problem, unless there
was a smaller area "behind the corner" where birds had to make
a turn and lose contact with their mates. We also encouraged them to go
to unfavored spots by throwing kitchen scraps there. In general they
would retrieve to the chicken house in the hottest hours of the day (it
is shady by our ch. house), and for dust bathing - the rest of the space
has ground covers, and better soils, that is hard to bathe in.

As far as numbers go, I heard people manage to staff their tractors
pretty full, like 300 sq. foot contained 60 chickens. The soil was just
fine with 1 day rotation schedule ( do not know about resting time). But
if the whole thing is about raising / keeping animals with respect, I do
not think these numbers will provide a bird with a happy life. Tractoring
is an unnatural thing, as in no natural condition a bird will scratch,
poop and eat over the same spot for many days , as well as it never will
agree to have no privacy from other birds. Tractors can be used in
situations of intensive agriculture to replenish fertility, but then
their poop also creates health hazards, I would think. In state of New
Mexico the organic growers cannot fertilize crops with uncomposted
manure, unless it goes through winter.

Energy wise for me it was simpler to create a habitat, so I do not have
to move tractor, water and food around, worry about numbers and crops,
but let them decide what they want/need today, and how much. The
territory at large must be secured/fenced in, of course, and then no need
to worry about rotation schedule etc. I might be wrong, but rotation was
first developed for cattle, as without predators they behave very
differently - they get scattered around and walk slowly, rather than
moving fast in a large group, making a quick impact on a territory and
leaving it behind. Birds, on opposite, normally will roam loosely, moving
fast from spot to spot, without impacting any particular piece of land in
a visible way. Tractor changes it.

Commercial structures create, will say, expectations of the kind
"how much", and push toward increased use of the resources, and
desire for a return. Try and see how few chickens you can raise in human
conditions, and that see if a few more will kick you out of balance. This
will tell you the best number.

for happy chickens
Arina