Today we are showing you one of our farm chores, DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard. This is not how everyone does this but this is how we did our Enlarging the chicken yard. As with many Diy projects, there are many ways and different tools, and items that can be used to make chicken yard fencing.
This one is for all the backyard chicken people. We will show the plans, steps, tools, and considerations that go into getting to the actual work that goes into enlarging the chicken yard.
A. New Chicken Yard
For some time we have been raising chickens and selling eggs locally. We have a chicken house to put them up at night but they also have an open range yard for the day. The chickens are let out in the morning to forage in the yard and then put up at night for safety. Believe it or not, chickens are better at clearing land than goats. We used to put our goats out to clear the woods and bramble but the chickens proved to be better at it.
1. Yard Expanding One
A couple years ago we enlarged the chicken yard we had to make it about double the size it was. We cleared a path for new posts and wire and went to work expanding the yard. It was full of underbrush, weeds and bramble. It took a few days but we made a new yard secured for chicken life. The next morning after we were done with the fence, we let the chickens loose in their new yard. At first they were shy of the new area but quickly came to terms with their new home. The chickens were very excited about the new greens they had access to and went to it. Within weeks the chickens had made paths through the underbrush. In only a few months, they had completely eaten the plants to the ground and shortly after that is was bare dirt. It was impressive and unbelievable to watch.
2. Yard Expanding Two
So after the chickens had taken a once grown up yard and turned it into a desert, we decided to enlarge the chicken yard again. We took in more woods that were covered with underbrush and could not be used for anything.
This time we did not do any clearing to make a clean ground for the posts and fencing. The chickens should be able to clean it up themselves.
We went to it, putting in t-posts, pulling fencing and securing the bottom of the line. We used black, plastic mess, bird netting for the fence line this time, as that is what we had on hand. It worked like a charm. It was easier to put up and it was easier to secure at the bottom. The bramble was a bit tricky to get through but even with that the new chicken yard went up faster and easier than the first two.
We now have a chicken yard 5 times bigger than what we had. The chickens are happy with their new territory and their new greenies.
3. Protecting Chickens From Predators
When DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard, you will need to plot out exactly where you want the fence to go and usually clear the line so the fence will be able to be straight and to the ground. It is very important to get the fence as level and straight as you can to keep it from bunching up and leaving gaps. Gaps in the fence are invitations for predators to come in and chickens to go out. Neither of those things do you want to happen.
Here is a good post on the most common chicken predators by Morning Chores Jennifer Poindexter.
4. What Materials You Want to Use
DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard is not hard to make and does not require a heavy load-bearing fence, just a secure one. We used t-post and black, plastic bird fencing from Tractor Supply for this enlargement. There are many posts, wire, netting, and meshes that can be used for this. Pick the one you like to work with and go for it. We used what we already had on hand and it worked great. You can find all kinds of resources online for how to and how not to, do a chicken yard. And you can spend any amount of money you want on products to build, secure and enhance your chicken yard. It all depends on what you are willing to do and spend.
We add the orange safety flags to the top of our fences. This keeps the local birds from flying into the wire and hurting themselves. It also lets the deer and other wildlife know there is a fence there.
5. Accessibility Issues
One last thing to consider is accessibility. Are you anywhere near water or electricity? Will you be able to run a water line or an electric line to the chicken house in your new Chicken yard? It may not seem important when you are planning. But in the cold winter you will want to be able to run a heat light and in the summer do you really want to haul water in buckets?
B. Benefits of the Chicken Yard
DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard is useful in several ways. Of course, it gives the chickens more room to run, they like and need the exercise.
1. Weed Control, Ground Clearing, and Saving on Feed
With the new greenies available the chickens eat more weeds and less chicken feed so it saves money on buying feed. The chickens are doing the farm another service, on top of their daily services, by clearing a new patch of land for future use.
2. Natural Fertilizer
When the chickens are finished clearing, the patch of land will be ready for whatever we want to use it for next. It will be clear for a new building or a new garden plot. We may even want to set out new orchard trees there. With the chicken manure, the dirt will be rich for planting and high in nutrients.
3. Pest Control
Another benefit to the chickens clearing the place is that they will eat as many bugs, mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and no-see-ums as they can find. Chickens are great pest control. They will eat anything that does not eat them first. The chickens are not picky about weeds, bugs, rodents, spiders, lizards, or snakes. We have no quarrel with our local wildlife and do not wish ill on most creatures. However, there are some bugs such as ticks, chiggers, mosquito, gnats and poisonous snakes are on our bad list. The chickens do a fine job of clearing any unwanted guests as well as unwanted plants.
C. Check Plants in the Area
Before you let the chickens into their new area there are some things you need to think about when it comes to the plants in the area.
1. Plants you May Want to Keep
When you are DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard, it is best to survey the plot before you let the chickens into it to be sure there are no plants that you want to keep. If you find plants you want to keep, it would be a good idea to either put a protection around them or remove them from the area. For plants that you want to stay were they are a bird netting around them should keep the chickens away. If you do not want the plant in that place but want to keep it alive, digging the plant up and potting it or relocating it is best. Do not make the mistake of thinking the chickens will have so much to eat that they will not bother your “special” plant, that will be the first thing they eat. That is just “Murphy’s Law”. If it has meaning to you, protect it or move it. You can not blame the chickens for eating the plants when that is what you put them there to do.
2. Poisonous Plants
Also when you are DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard be sure to check the area for poisonous plants before letting the chickens into a new area. Chickens may not be able to tell if the plant is bad for them and may try it anyway. It is best to dig up and remove any plant that you think might harm your chickens, just to be safe. It would be very sad for you and your chickens to go through all the time and effort of making a new area, for them to have them poison themselves.
D. Chicken Play
After you have everything done and are happy with the set up, sit back and watch. You may not know it but chickens can be very entertaining. Chickens will do some of the oddest and funniest things. The way they run around, play, sing, talk and rummage around can be fun to watch. And when one finds a great treasure, they can not just keep it to themselves, they have to announce it for all the world to hear. This makes all the other chickens want that treasure. The resulting ramp around the yard, the chickens chasing the one with the goods, can be a great laugh. One will take it and run then another will get it from that one and so it goes on until one chicken finally has the good sense to just eat that great treasure. Once the treasure is gone, the chickens will go back to foraging, until the next great treasure is found and it will start again. If you did not know chickens could do all that, just sit quietly and watch some time. You will be amazed how chickens socialize with each other, in groups and with you.
As with many DIY projects, there are so many ways to do it and no one is better. Figure out the way you like your chicken yard and the that you like to use and go with it.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed this quick insight into DIY Enlarging the Chicken Yard and chicken life on the farm. If you are interested in more info on farm life, check out our other talks below.
Thank you for visiting with us and come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.
The baby duck is so cute. The second one is trying to get out now.
Might say which plants, weeds are poisonous to chickens