[snow white]

Not sure if this is the correct forum but here goes.

Planning on putting my chooks up my allotment.  It is very clay soil.  If I put chopped straw or rape straw in the mobile (yet to be built) run and let my chooks poop and scratch on it, would it improve the soil for next year?

[Sassy]

It would help to improve the texture but it would take a long time to have a really good effect. However, it will unbalance the nutrients in the soil and will take out nitrogen which it uses in order to break down.

[snow white]

wouldn't the chicken poop balance that?  That was what I was counting on anyway.  And it would be about 5 months between chickens and planting as I intend to overwinter the chooks at home in december and not planting until May.  Is that long enough?

(Thank you for your input, keen on your reply.. )

[grinling]

It takes nitrogen from the soil to break down the straw, more than the droppings would provide. It would be better to compost the straw before digging in. I burn mine as there is too much to compost, the dropping though are collected and put in the compost bin.
You might find it a lot of hassle to keep moving the hens around the allotment and securing the hens from foxes and rats at the same time.
It is easier to build a permanent run and roofed housing area with dug in wire for protection. lay soil is difficult and you might only manage a spade depth so I would recommed going out 50-75cm out from the fence with the wire, so a long L shape, to stop rats and foxes digging in.
Find out from your committee how many hens you may have and think about going down in winter snow and ice at least twice a day because of the water freezing. I never locked mine up at night, even with a resisdent fox. I

[devonbarmygardener]

Ours are on my mate John's plot which is across from mine. They have a permanent run which takes up about a third of the plot.
There are 5 of us to do the food and water daily, along with poop scooping and cleaning as they do need seeing to daily - we have a nice rota worked out by me - the only non-retired member of the 'chicken chums'!

[snow white]

As I mentioned they will be in my garden for six months of the year and only on the allotment for the rest, hopefully warm seasons.  I walk past twice a day to walk the dogs anyway and have done so for 15 years, plus now I have an allotment I am often up there for hours daily as well, so looking after them will not be a problem at all.  And moving them about will be fine as well.  They live in my garden at the moment and I confess that I spend more time up my allotment than in my garden.  They are healthy happy hens who still lay daily and have loads of space in my permanent pen.  They are easy to keep happy compared to my two dogs and two children and hubby.  So please be rest assured they will be fine.  Fox proofing will be done with a system similar to the eglu runs with stiff galvanised mesh skirt pegged in the ground.  I am only writing this to reassure you that I have thought this out properly.  Will send pics when it is all set up.  (Far too cold to let my lovelies go up there yet). 

[devonbarmygardener]

Sounds good snow white

[Sassy]

It all does sound good but moving them twice a year is likely to upset them and they will find it stressful.Iit will not be too cold for them at the allotments especially in Suffolk.

[maxie]

I use rape straw in my two chicken sheds and clean the poo out daily and a full clean out once ever 10 days or so.I put mine in compost bins though and its surprising how fast it builds up.
But when i turn the compost bins a bit of straw escapes and the hens scrat through any lefteovers.But the straw is just sitting on top of the ground where it was,not rotting down or anything so i think youll need to compost it first.

[devonbarmygardener]

It does take a while to rot.  I keep a bit of compost accelerator in my shed and it's all in darleks which get quite hot on sunny days so that helps.

Also get the boyfriend to pee on it from time to time!   Only boy pee works - weird that!

[8doubles]

It does take a while to rot.  I keep a bit of compost accelerator in my shed and it's all in darleks which get quite hot on sunny days so that helps.

Also get the boyfriend to pee on it from time to time!   Only boy pee works - weird that!

I thinks that counts as sexual exploitation !




which may not be an offence as long as you buy the beer !

[devonbarmygardener]

It does take a while to rot.  I keep a bit of compost accelerator in my shed and it's all in darleks which get quite hot on sunny days so that helps.

Also get the boyfriend to pee on it from time to time!   Only boy pee works - weird that!

I thinks that counts as sexual exploitation !




which may not be an offence as long as you buy the beer !

And I do just that! We have to pass our favourite pub (of 3 in one village!!) on the way back from the lottie so if he's helped me, he gets a pint!

[maxie]

Great stuff devonbarmygardener  you devon lasses know how to look after a man after a hard day on the plot 

[devonbarmygardener]

Great stuff devonbarmygardener  you devon lasses know how to look after a man after a hard day on the plot 

Gotta keep em' sweet!