breeding chickens for sale in Hi - desert

Hi I am new to permaculture and I am very excited about getting the process in place on my 2 acres. I breed chickens for sale in my area and I would like to create a enviroment for them outside of a chicken coop and run. However I live in the hi desert with very little vegetation and I also need to keep each chicken breed separate to sell as a specific breed. How can I make this happen when I don't have green vegetation to let them graze. It is not practical, but if someone knows of a way I am willing to listen and try. My chickens are for eggs (when not breeding), meat, and sale of chicks. I want them as comfortable and happy as possible. Hope someone out there has a helpful suggestion. Also, trying to grow veggies here the last 2 years I was not very successful, my soil is sandy and does not have alot of nutrients. For the past 2 years I have dumped tons of compost/mulch and I hope this year will be a bumper crop. I have 1 year old fruit tree orchard. I am really a beginner. I do have access to large quantities of mulch for free and I started creating wind berms and will do hulglebeds with tree prunings I have on th property, Juniper (acidic) Ash, Mulberry trees and the mulch. I assume this will take several years to get all things going and once I do then my chickens can have access to variety of vegetation. Just want them to be happy now not 3 years from now when it will be their offspring.

Hi, Rose and welcome to Permies! It sounds like you are off to a great start in a challenging location. Sorry I can't answer your question but there are many here who can help. Looking forward to hearing your progress.

Bury the wood, don't mound it up in hugels. You will dry it out way too quick.

There are some movable chicken fences, but how many redtail hawks do you have?

search for austrailian orchard enclosures, see if that could work for you.

you could also look at tunnel houses, to give enough shade to get some groundcover going for the fowl. you wouldn't have to make the tall ones, just the bent over pvc pipe/rebar and shade cloth style

If you cannot provide greens, why not provide more natural proteins and a healthy, cultured soil underfoot? Try using deep litter in the coop and runs, using your access to wonderful mulch, and add organic material from your place into the mix. Slowly build on it and keep it at the right moisture levels to provide good composting of the manure and let it attract beneficial bugs and worms into their environment as a source of environment balancing and a source of natural proteins.

It can keep your birds healthier, provide good bacteria growth that will inhibit the overgrowth of the more harmful bacteria and can be an extra source of protein. It cuts down on your chore time and composts their manure right in place.

Jay,
That's sounds like a good plan. Will give it a try and see if the girls like it. Will let you know how it works out. Thanks

It takes some months to get the compost layers working and attracting beneficials and establishing good cultures...and the correct moisture levels are important, so not sure how to keep up on that in the arid desert areas. Some are trying to compensate for that by adding more moist organics like hay, grass clippings, etc. to keep the correct balance.