The theme ofkeeping chickensin agreenhousemight seem far - fetched to Fannie Merritt Farmer who value their tender crops , but you should n’t drop it out of hand . After all , chickens needshelter , which a glasshouse can ply , and plant can benefit from extra warmth released by fowl bodies — not to mention the carbon dioxide / oxygen rally between plants and fauna that can benefit both . Over the year , I ’ve speak to Fannie Farmer who have made the improbable mate of chicken and greenhouse . While this system of rules might not be for everyone , here are four inquiry I ’ve learned you should enquire when making the decision for your farm .
1. Could My Chickens Solve a Disease Problem?
When the timing is right-hand , chickens can eradicate some industrial plant disease from nursery stain . A marketplace farm in Washington State that append herbs , yield and veggie to nearby restaurants and the local farmers ’ marketplace , earned major income fromheirloom tomato plant , and because summers in their location were rather coolheaded , they grow the tomatoes inside a nursery . The tomatoes develop directly in the soil rather than in hatful , reserve their roots to spread and the indeterminate vines to rise high .
One year , the plants grow a disease before the season end , so the Farmer gave some of their chickens free range of the greenhouse at the end of the season . Over the winter , the birds thirstily scratched up the stain and rip up tomato - plant residue , introduce novel micro - being and providing soil aeration . The chickens were eventually removed and tomato planted in the soil again — the disease had been completely eradicated .
Keep in head , any prison term crop are planted immediately into territory where chicken have been , their droppings must be completelycompostedbefore replanting . That timing depends on various factor , including ground temperature . smart chicken manure is very “ live ” and can combust the source of plants if not compost , and raw manure could introducepathogensto the food crop .
2. How Will I Protect My Plants?
Chickens can be fantabulous out-of-door weed-whacker , scratch around larger perennials with established toughened tooth root , such as bush andraspberry canes(given the Berry are n’t ripe ) . They will leave these bad plants jolly undisturbed , especially because they do n’t enjoy the taste . However , they are n’t potential to be as genial to your delicate greenhouse plants — even if the plants are n’t the chickens ’ mantrap of choice .
Chickens are programme to expend much of the mean solar day scratching up territory and shredding small-scale , more thin plant in search of out of sight bugs , sore immature ascendant and other goodies . They will jump on tables to excavate into potted plants , unknowingly knock them over and triumphantly tearing through the newly discover sore material in hunting of edible . deal how you ’ll erect barriers , such as Gallus gallus wire or frame , to corral chickens to the area where chafe is acceptable .
3. How Will I Handle Chicken Manure?
crybaby do n’t have to touch greenhouse plant to destroy them . volaille manureis luxuriously in ammonia , which could be prejudicious to some plants , the chicken and you . While not all plants have the same degree of sensitiveness to ammonium hydroxide , air circulation , a balanced proportion of bird to plant , and a healthy compost system on the greenhouse level want to be part of the overall system .
4. Will My Chickens Overheat?
If the maximum temperature of the glasshouse exceeds the chickens ’ heat tolerance , the two wo n’t make a ripe match . When temperature lead off graze the 80s , you may notice chicken puff due to overheating , and they even range the peril of demise . When outdoors in spicy temperatures , chicken benefit from breeze , try nuance or poke into the cool ground for relief , but these are thing a greenhouse may not be able to provide . However , with the sure guard , you may be able to keep chickens in the greenhouse while take care to their safety .
One homesteader I touch on a regular basis puts chicken in his greenhouse each winter , using wooden frames and chicken conducting wire to keep the crybaby away from the growing plants . He surrounds his winter glasshouse with electronet fencing material and deep mulch , permit the chickens to free - stove outside during the twenty-four hour period , and work them into the greenhouse to perch at night .
