Using Chickens to Enrich the Garden

[@tolbaszy8067]

My neighbor free ranged his chickens in my garden. Young plants are especially delectable to chickens. The one dressed bird he offered did not cover the damage, but was also delectable!

[@parkwayconcepts8758]

My chickens did an amazing job spreading compost and killing grass. Now we switched sides and moved the garden and they are taking care of the other side for me! Should have a full garden 2025 and I can't wait!

[@Mary-had-a-lil-farm]

90/120 rule is EXACTLY the information I have been researching for the last year. I have chickens and ducks and put the bedding directly from the coops (as mulch and feeding the soil) onto my gardens. I wanted to be certain how long was a safe time til harvest. It works well and I do not have to do a big formal compost pile/system which is quite a bit of manual work. I know it can potentially Ron nitrogen but not so much if put on top of the soil. It eventually composts in place. So THANKS!

[@notillgrowers]

So glad to hear! Yeah, it will eventually work into the soil (or you can add a little mulch overtop to retain the highest percent of the manure).

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

YES! I honestly think chickens have such a job in the garden.. I dont do a compost heap anymore my chickens with always have everything and will dig through it!

[@stephenrobb8759]

Getting in vs. letting in... TOTALLY different!

[@lambsquartersfarm]

Awesome, love to see livestock in the rotation, and hey: yummy eggs to keep the farmer going!

[@jonathanjochem7289]

The Balfour method of raising layers; hen house attached to rotating compost piles that you toss scraps and a bit of scratch to encourage them. Every so often, move them to the next pile. No garden damage and great eggs. And great compost. That Lady Balfour must have been a great lot of fun! Someone should make a movie about her.

[@jeshurunfarm]

Chicken rules. Respect from Africa 🇿🇦

[@waynebusse6376]

I got so tired of worrying about cross contamination from manure from my chickens that I got rid of them. I used the quad to run out to feed and gather eggs from my free range chickens and then go pick tomatoes and run them up to the produce table on porch, I needed a hand-wash station out at the chicken tractor to keep the handle bars contamination free. I still use a tiller to work my high tunnels and fields but each time I till I'm working in a 24'' by 24'' windrow of chopped hay or grass clippings. Last season I purchased a Peruzzo 60'' collection flail mower to gather green cut hay and yard clips to till in for a green-manure and then add more to the surface between beds. Worms love all the organic matter and the tomatoes are able to absorb more potassium as the fungi feed on all those clips. This year will be my 29th season growing tomatoes and veg for a living doing 95 percent of the work by my self, producing 15,000 lbs of tomatoes sold at $2.50/ lb last summer. Also about a half acre of veg and four acres of sweetcorn. The challenge this year will be to grow as much sweetcorn as possible using chopped clips in advance of planting seed. I add enough clips that it's about the same texture as a compost pile. I'm lucky to have over 50 acres of fields to cut for clips.

[@johnmullis6589]

I have a chicken tractor that fits right over my beds and I just rotate the chickens across them in the winner when I'm not growing much They take out the cover crop fertilize it so all I have to do is broad fork it rake in additional addminments and it's good to go

[@ginnybadger4790]

A friend of mine has Cochin chickens. She works hard to keep her garden weeded the first month but after that, she lets her hens into the garden for BRIEF periods to eat any new germinating weeds. How long is brief? Watch them. As soon as the start picking at the garden plants, they have likely eaten most of the weed sprouts. Time to move the girls out!

[@Crystal-il3jl]

I fence off a new garden plot and pen the girls inside. They clear it of all grass and weeds and weed seeds so that it's ready to spread with compost and mulch. Almost instant garden plot.

[@natefox1496]

Good luck with the rain this year💜

[@notillgrowers]

🤞

[@chrisc1981]

Can’t wait for a video on deploying

[@christophera-realone9834]

My chickens have been working my garden all winter

[@christophera-realone9834]

They are about to get kicked out

[@vincentlavella1991]

Jesse, always enjoy learning or just the motivation factor. Thanks for the videos

[@vonsch9793]

Darned birds love rearranging my mulch. I'm slowly converting to agroforestry methods, so aiming to supplement the grass clipping mulch with couple foot lengths of tree branches and such that they can't kick around. I do prefer to see them running around all over and I have plenty of room for them to do that. I also have a smaller flock in netting like you use. That lets me concentrate some activity where I want it, rather than just letting them choose their own spots. I use a couple small (2x8) tractors for even more concentration and separating birds for breeding purposes. As you say, they are great... but they also can be great pains in the tailfeathers.

[@notillgrowers]

Oh yes, they have no respect for mulch.

[@bobbyjones7505]

Great channel 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Mary-had-a-lil-farm]

Thanks!

[@notillgrowers]

Thank YOU!

[@gilbertoosorio3609]

¡Gracias!

[@notillgrowers]

🙌

[@gabec2494]

I just deployed my chickens and ducks to the garden. It's nearly december, so im not worried about what they're eating in there.

[@Pragmatic7]

Thanks

[@notillgrowers]

Thank YOU! 🙌

[@jillhumphrys8073]

I must be awesome bc I'm following!!

[@ardenthebibliophile]

*brings in lettuce* Chickens: RUN AWAY!!! Chickens: ... Chickens: food?

[@jillhumphrys8073]

I thot that too. Mine always run when i throw food at them, but they figure it out eventually

[@johac7637]

I'll have to ask for the product name, it's a black plastic mesh that is used like a reinforcing mess in Asphalt new roads, it's like a rebar, I make tunnels between rows of potatoes at planting, the dig, weed, fert, then hilling time it gets removed and goes between the corn rows, I use short rebar stakes, putting it thru the 1" openings, comes in many widths, got mine from a construction site here in town, trim scraps, it's awesome. I started writing this, I'll Google it and update this is I find more info.

[@One29Homestead]

@2:08 You're harvesting beets right? Can we do a recap on Beets and the whole growing cycle? I just love beets!

[@notillgrowers]

We have one from last year! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6iUpamdi89gb80

[@delmadominguez1888]

Love it sweet o don’t know good info

[@lonniebeaty301]

You forgot the beer!!!!! Lol

[@BonToman-o8s]

I love your content. I was wondering why you said the 90/120 rule was a bit of an odd rule. It's a required rule for food safety if you're certified but I'm wondering if you are referring to it being odd because it's not entirely necessary? I'm new to gardening so I'm genuinely curious and am looking for clarity. And maybe I'm reading too much into what you said. I'm new so I don't know, heh. Thank you!!

[@garrettscott4094]

You hinted at an experience with ducks in the garden. For better or worse could you please do a video on that experience?

[@notillgrowers]

Ah, well I don't think I have any real footage of our ducks in the garden, but if you used them like I use the chickens now I would say they would be perfectly fine. They just don't scratch and incorporate like chickens do. The down feathers on them are also very insulating, making keeping them in simple electric nets rather impossible (ie they just don't get shocked).

[@garrettscott4094]

@@notillgrowers we haven't used ducks before, but are getting Runner ducks this summer, so containing them hopefully will be easier than you experienced. You are 100% right as usual; it's bad when the birds get into the garden, but great when they are let into the garden. As for footage of your ducks, just show B roll of your chickens and label them "Ducks", I doubt anyone would notice.

[@garrettscott4094]

@@notillgrowers you do a great job of sharing your personal experiences, and no matter if I decide to try something or not, your videos always give me something I had not yet thought about or considered.

[@jamesR1990]

​@@garrettscott4094 we've used ducks exclusively. We keep them away from the younger plants and had good success with them keeping pest pressure down. There's a lot of crops they don't find appealing so learning what your ducks like will help you with that

[@jillhumphrys8073]

I used to put my ducks in the garden once the plants were big and established. We use an oscillating sprinkler so they were in absolute HEAVEN playing in the "rain". But they can eat fruits off the vine and trample things, so be watchful.

[@rebekahlaflin3565]

Thanks for the video. Is the any information regarding safety and chickens in the garden if it’s not a commercial farm? I like to let my chickens out most of the year but I’m working with more of an orchard space but I plan to have some veggies such as corn and squash in a shared space.

[@manolopapas]

Nice

[@derekoger935]

Can you share how you grow potatoes within your system? Is there any way to be less invasive with the soil when growing these deep root crops?

[@Sidneybeach875]

Our Easter cold snap is about here in South carolina. Looks like yall have a way to go yet.

[@notillgrowers]

Yeah, we've started putting some stuff in the fields but we have about 10 days before I can start to feel comfortable doing much outside of the greenhouses.

[@Sidneybeach875]

@No-Till Growers my seed starts had to go out a week ago, they were getting root bound. Yesterday the forecast calls for 30 on the 14th. Getting covers ready this weekend.

[@notillgrowers]

Oof, yeah we have a 23 degree night in the forecast. After that we should be 👍

[@dustindinh3673]

Do the chickens automatically get inside the coop when it's getting dark in the evening?

[@karenpage9383]

Jessie, if it weren't for the FSMA, what time frame would you choose? I am a home gardener with backyard chickens. I've not been able to allow the chickens to free range up until now, and I would love to let them loose on the garden before transplanting and/or sowing my spring crops ibut I hadn't really thought about the possibility of salmonella or other crud until this video. I know formal regulations tend to be very... restrictive, you know, "in abundance of caution" blah, blah... but I trust your judgement and nerdiness on this and wondered if your own personal timelines would be different if not for the regulations. Thanks in advance! Love the channel, and your book is amazing (and a bit overwhelming in its awesomeness and nerdiness)!!!

[@notillgrowers]

That's a good question, though I would hate to give you the wrong advice 😬 . I agree that I think these regulations are out of an abundance of caution, though, and I believe you can trust your gut. Sorry, I know that's a non-answer!

[@jillhumphrys8073]

I would research how long e-coli can live on your plants after applying. Thats the main concern. If they say "X amount of days", then the truth may most likely be half that time. I personally dont worry about it when it comes to tomatoes and other above ground veggies. But if your lettuce and spinach are being sprayed with it, find out how long it will be active. Also you can help with a little spray washing in. Im a nurse and home gardener. Ive seen a lot but still there isnt much that worries me. Grew up on a dairy drinking raw milk and running around bare foot through who-knows-what. I'm still alive...that being said, I'm probably dodged bullets right and left. lol

[@karenpage9383]

@@jillhumphrys8073 I believe it is *because* you grew up drinking raw milk and running barefoot through who-knows-what that you have dodged bullets that have struck those of us who hadn't had that exposure and subsequent immunity. Once upon a time, that was how everyone was raised, but now everyone has sensitivities and allergies to things that had not been issues before. My dad used to say "A little dirt never hurts." and in fact its actually beneficial! I appreciate your opinion and suggestion on the e-coli. Thank you for the input!

[@audreybarnes6527]

Beautiful chickens, they looks really well. Our geese would love that mound of lettuce, it's their favourite. Without wishing to dehumanising them, they act like walking juicers 😂 and I'd be surprised if their poop isn't quickly eaten by worms. When we give them a bucket of carrots, apples, cabbage etc at night what they leave is chopped up ready for the chickens then composted. The Geese on wood shavings/woodchips bedding can be used within a Johnson Su bioreactor - I think, will know later this year. In a recent video with Jay, the couple acknowledge that woodshavings were their favourite feed stock. kzbin.infoRL7y_qZYGy8?feature=share

[@rogerbeck5704]

I want to use a chicken tractor and will use a electric fence but am afraid of preditor birds while I'm away at work. Any suggestions?

[@handyich7832]

Net or dog or goose.

[@mylesfalconer9183]

Shout out to Harvey ussery and his book, small scale poultry flock.

[@heavymetalbassist5]

I love what they do for my garden and compost but dang I hate washing 4-6 dozen eggs a day. I havent even wantes to eat one in months 😕

[@notillgrowers]

Have you checked out the rollaway nest boxes? they keep them significantly cleaner.

[@jillhumphrys8073]

We have several Hispanic and asian markets where I live. They will usually buy eggs from anyone will to sell. Also restaurants. I had ducks for a while and an Asian restaurant bought duck eggs from me. If worse comes to worse, throw all the eggs together in a bucket ir on the ground and your birds will eat them. Then its not a waste.

[@bigbabyjesussurfing]

What about ginea fowl?

[@notillgrowers]

Guineas are a lot harder to control and won't mind a an electric net at all, but they can be good for pest protection and tick gobbling!

[@jeshurunfarm]

No we are not going to tell you. We have given up on that battle. By the way it's only 60 seconds.

[@cuznclive2236]

A minute lasts as long as the cluck from a chicken stays in your head; otherwise, it's sixty clucks over sixty seconds. I prefer the former. Y'all be well!

[@jamiecallendar2871]

Does your electric fencing keep out bobcats (or similar predators that can jump quite high etc)? We have some in our area and it makes it hard to safely free range our chickens. Thanks.

[@notillgrowers]

Yes as long as you keep it hot and not grounded out. Check out premier one supplies. That's where we get our stuff

[@nchestercountynews4955]

SOUTH END OF THE CHICKEN.

[@steveandtedssmallspacegard8587]

How do you stop wild birds dropping manure on your lettuce? You wouldn't want that happening while the inspector is there, or do they only care what is written in the paperwork. Like in the pharmaceutical industry 💉

[@ninemoonplanet]

No, the birds, chickens, turkeys, pigeons etc often have bacteria, viruses (bird flu which forced the UK into a lockdown of all birds on all farms) which can infect other birds and/or humans. E-coli being the most frequently passed on. It's definitely not just shrugged off.

[@notillgrowers]

Well, technically you're supposed to flag (literally) areas where you find wild animal manure and keep a record, then avoid those areas for harvest.

[@vonsch9793]

@@notillgrowers No wonder our microbiomes are so puny these days.

[@steveandtedssmallspacegard8587]

@@vonsch9793 I thought the lack of diversity in our gut microbiome was from drinking chlorinated water, eating highly processed food and all the sterilizing cleaners and sprays we use. Maybe it is just a deficiency of fresher manure and compost in contact with our food.

[@vonsch9793]

@@steveandtedssmallspacegard8587 Embrace the uniting power of "and." Those injure it, but it can be replenished with exposure to nature's diversity. And the process boosts immune systems to boot.

[@uncommoncents2152]

Well it's not sunday...shoot who cares let's need out

[@richardvanasse9287]

Employing chickens in the garden? I hope you are paying them a living wage. 😂

[@daigledj]

Room and board

[@Wakwaw796]

give them wifi for sure

[@cuznclive2236]

The "Organic" labeling process is such a pack of lies to prevent small farmers from playing the game... Most "organic" soybean meal goes through an organic end-process to become organic; otherwise, most of it is gmo shite.

[@notillgrowers]

Well, technically you cannot grow GMO crops in certified organic. If the USDA caught you doing that, you would be in a heap trouble (and it has happened and those people are in a heap of trouble).

[@melissac3313]

Thanks!

[@notillgrowers]

thank you 🙌

[@johnjude2685]

Thanks

[@il8099]

Thanks!

[@notillgrowers]

Thank you! 🙌