![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpOpSHEmGosptMLfSrW3oslsEmweKpRE_tBPik3CL0dX33PMTiBW5hLzopGlOYQOZhIQ0d0CTGqHr1CoCvvl-uxHn68nCUE6tyhLm9KaAzuNkMagXYSO1LmE5W2fXHfcRIk6DFCEWkZo/s400/boss+chook%2527s+evil+eye.gif)
This lot is especially for doubting Francis and Paddy (who demanded to see the chooks).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59pR7ihifsFSEy9nNUNCuyD90rpqDXhmNn2A9lKFi2hib4ZmITyBKsRuDJZtAXvm3WCerVknK9Vb6ENjl1xhbFWrekCOOLrtf6O1K8_hk3Nvp-AlGnYFvEswqi535G649h8A__izw6X4/s400/chookabago.gif)
They move about 3 metres a day, and boss chook leads eagerly. They pretty well rip the grass (bar big tussocks) out and turn it into scratched over chook-pooed dirt. I am planting the strip behind them with potatoes and parsnips ATM. I want to plant grain in their trail.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vwagJxA6beEgb8PIlTTnLtS8-aPVECSoXFP2kQKbJoHWjW2d58rwhtfTIjjgTfIDHSg8HcfXRmFd8AvLvyhnQLJE_D_Lpr9zZUlRJ6hMqFjTKKQfPfeHrKFLKFzWNvnsTNa6QbW_xb4/s400/chookabago+enclosure.gif)
They're tame and curious - boss chook is afraid of nothing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DQXA7JllhemFHC-X6HBpY7p9xqKKQvSaSktitzkDm-J6WxVueOpEVrP9GVk37e8TxS_3GnMSaKnJZ5fy_CZJrhOz5rRGHOdVKANCLQibbd9QeVQD-pUcxXUNstBY5cCLSqGZZfgfccA/s400/chooks2.gif)
and they're chatty and love to scratch and eat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T5eLw99JcFDUD8akFGIOgEXfGSgzURWNrOfQxRqx999vEC-yGEbYTvXKPJXcDuZBXLKyXN1wLGediDAabWpIoJQMpv9BvwK6YT61pybkL45FG8jnztInECf7rC-8IY7lyuTOoHd18bg/s400/chooks+1.gif)
Payoff
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JzfgDGZDRs3GU-5hLpcmtoD7xgbFN0G6zKvYqi7p70zA0RyF7M3RF19scp7tLQPot4cepei0AC0TdlizOM8l3UbkM9lgKY-KkTePvdxk0a5VO43CdSx2-zcLtlBwJ3LgV61bKuA1xSo/s400/eggs.gif)
And a lot of wheelbarrow and spade work: The new raised bed. The high sides keep the wind and dogs out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrQoRopsIqbv5RPESCZFgHLFmO8SPJMy0XoLBGl0Rah092Dw0PPQnC0CtsQeXCWbPv43h97h36KjXRMAIJn64eYF5w6L4ZJ0bMtgym2Gl2ExpGgo11Q3O6v48lj9AdYKGv93x_SDzwD0/s400/raised+beds.gif)
I'd be a bit cautious about planting stuff directly behind the Chookabago. Fresh chicken crap is extremely high in nitrogen(?), and if not allowed to compost first for a few months will cause problems for a lot of plants.
ReplyDeleteYou might be ok though, the original caution I had was about old hay/straw that had been gathering up more than just one or two days of crap before being replaced.
ReplyDeleteI suspect you are probably right. I've only left it 3 weeks (i've just done the first 3 metres). I'm hoping as it's fairly low density and a short duration that it won't be too bad - but I'm using seed I gathered myself - so it's not much of an expensive experiment. I wanted to leave it longer but to take advantage of their 'plowing' I found weeds were starting to come back.
ReplyDeleteWell the photos are almost worth the wait for them. That's a mighty fine residence them chooks have.
ReplyDeleteThey probably aren't putting much down but concentrated chicken manure has to compost for at least 6 months before spreading over fields.
ReplyDelete