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advice for my rotation pasture and flock barns?

 
Posts: 9
Location: Oregon
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Hello! I'm making blue prints for my rotation pasture and barns. any thoughts or advice?
Im not sure what materials to make the barn out of or how to insulate it. I was thinking eco friendly options like recycled wood, cob insulation, that sort of thing.
I would have the ruminants eat up all the grass/plant material (might add pigs for root eating as well) for a season then switch them out for the flock to loosen and scratch up the earth after both creatures had fertilized and stomped around for a season I'd use it to garden. my plan is to have two garden pastures every season. Hopefully with this plan I can waist as little as possible!
I was also thinking of keeping quail in a rabbit hutch in the flock's barn, would they bother one another or get diseases? thanks for reading!
979B7D1F-A6D5-4A7D-97D7-8BA1533F16F3.jpeg
rotation pasture and barns
rotation pasture and barns
 
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Location: Pacific Wet Coast
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From the look of the size of the pasture vs the size of the buildings, if I was designing this, I'd make twice as many much larger pastures. My chickens would eat every speck of green within a month at most. If you have extra runs, you can move the birds and start more plants for them. We're very dry in the summer, and have a portable shelter for out chickens which is currently being moved every 3 days. I would say that it takes a good two months for the patch to recover. Granted Hubby keeps 18-20 chickens in a 10x12 foot space, so it qualifies as "mob grazing" and you haven't mentioned what sort of density you're planning on. I don't have any ruminants - just geese, chickens and ducks.
 
pollinator
Posts: 541
Location: Ban Mak Ya Thailand Zone 11-12
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It really depends on how big your flock is,
how much manure they produce,
how much manure is needed during the seasons,
how much growth you expect each month, weeds and crops

I use the entire farm 19000 squaremeters, making 19 paddocks and then dictate the time, how long 100 chicken (for the begin) can stay by the damage they made.

Due to different growing pace (dry-wet season) the paddocks will be lasting anywhere between 3 and 9 days in the tropical climate of Thailand.
I'll find out as we start this winter...  

In your drawing I cannot really say there is a calculation made in beforehand, which I highly recommend.

You should know how often you cut your weeds and grasses in each month (grow pace) because there will be times it explodes and other times the growth stunts
When the most bugs are available and and and...
 
See Hes
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Location: Ban Mak Ya Thailand Zone 11-12
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If you have got some measurements I could give you a little more details..

The drawing from you modified. Less stress for the soil due to shorter periods... (how big is the size of your free range in total?)

All you have to do is in the evening open one flap and close the other one when the paddock is at its limit..

Water Tanks (If you use these white cubes 1000 ltr) put them covered or even underground otherwise they will grow algaes inside and when they decompose you got ammoinia in the water (not good for chicks)

But as I said your drawing doesn't give enough info to go into further details..

Also some Trees/shrubs (edible stuff) are beneficial as chicken are actually forest animals (less stress looking out for predators)

I hope it helps...
Capture.PNG
[Thumbnail for Capture.PNG]
 
Naia Ratte
Posts: 9
Location: Oregon
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That's so helpful thank you! Knowing more about the water is definitely important, I'll see if I can put it underground. Everything on my blue prints is a pretty loose idea so far so I can get down as many ideas as possible before honing in on one developed idea. I never even thought about the fact chickens are forest critters that's such a good point! I'll plant some shrubbery or trees for sure, maybe make a willow fence.

See Hes wrote:If you have got some measurements I could give you a little more details..

The drawing from you modified. Less stress for the soil due to shorter periods... (how big is the size of your free range in total?)

All you have to do is in the evening open one flap and close the other one when the paddock is at its limit..

Water Tanks (If you use these white cubes 1000 ltr) put them covered or even underground otherwise they will grow algaes inside and when they decompose you got ammoinia in the water (not good for chicks)

But as I said your drawing doesn't give enough info to go into further details..

Also some Trees/shrubs (edible stuff) are beneficial as chicken are actually forest animals (less stress looking out for predators)

I hope it helps...

 
Naia Ratte
Posts: 9
Location: Oregon
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I don't plan to mob graze I think around 10 birds would be a good size for me. Knowing the foot space is very helpful! I'll keep that in mind. I don't have any sizing down for how big the pasture to building ratio would be I do want the pasture to be big enough they have a good amount of room. I've been keeping the plans very loose while I gather more information, thank you for your help!

Jay Angler wrote:From the look of the size of the pasture vs the size of the buildings, if I was designing this, I'd make twice as many much larger pastures. My chickens would eat every speck of green within a month at most. If you have extra runs, you can move the birds and start more plants for them. We're very dry in the summer, and have a portable shelter for out chickens which is currently being moved every 3 days. I would say that it takes a good two months for the patch to recover. Granted Hubby keeps 18-20 chickens in a 10x12 foot space, so it qualifies as "mob grazing" and you haven't mentioned what sort of density you're planning on. I don't have any ruminants - just geese, chickens and ducks.

 
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