The Grass Grows Greener...

"The Grass Always Grows Greener over the Septic Tank."  That was the name of a book by Erma Bombeck, a humorous columnist that my Mom used to read.  The title of the book is funny - and true.  There is a reason that the grass is greener in that location.  I don't want to get into the details as you might be eating breakfast as you read this, but I think you know what I'm talking about.

Let's take a virtual walk out to the pasture and we can discuss it while you finish your coffee.  As I lift the lid on one of the chicken tractors, you can see the Barred Rock pullets eating some Chick Grower and foraging around in the grass.  A pullet is a young hen.  They are really growing.  They are so lively.  I have to be careful when I open the lid because they'll fly out.  They roost up on the roosting bars. 

After I finish milking Daisy in the morning, I feed them and since they roost on one bar, there is a big line of poop on the grass under the bar.  So I roll the chicken tractor one length forward.  If I didn't do this, the chicken poop would build up and burn the grass in the tractor.  Pretty soon there would be nothing but dirt underneath them.  That would defeat the purpose.  I want the chicken poop to be spread around the entire pasture, fertilizing the grass so that it grows green, lush, and tall for the cows to eat.


Barred Rock Pullets

As we walk over to the Cornish Cross Meat birds, they are growing as well.  At last count I think there are around 80 birds in this chicken tractor.  They eat a lot and poop a lot, so I push their tractor once or twice a day.  They are getting a little cramped up and need some elbow room.  It is time to extend the square footage of the tractor.  The way I do this is by adding a couple of hog panels to the end of the tractor.  I secure the panels to the tractor with wire.  It is sturdy and is pretty easy to pull as someone pushes the tractor.

High Population Density

This photo shows that by adding the panels, I've more than doubled the square footage of their humble home.  When I opened the door, they all hopped out to explore the new area.


Wide open spaces

They also jumped out to eat.  Rather than buying expensive chicken feeding troughs from the feed store or building some out of wood,  I purchased a couple of 10 foot length PVC gutters from the hardware store, dump the feed in the them, and like Bachman Turner Overdrive sings, they start Takin' Care of Business.  The gutters used as feed troughs work great.  They are inexpensive, lightweight, and durable.  The birds line up on either side of it (or some jump in it) and eat to their heart's content.

Hungry Birds

Back to the title of today's posting.  As I move them each day, their poop is broadcast across the pasture.  The grass reacts to the nitrogen and grows bright green.  The picture below illustrates this.  If you look closely, you can see that the grass right behind the tractor is greener than the other grass.


Can you see the dark green trail where the chicken tractor has been?

The grass grows greener, faster, and taller in the trail behind the tractor.

Trail behind another chicken tractor

You've got to be careful, though.  Chicken poop is "hot" and can burn your grass if you don't move the tractors often enough.  As a result of the burning you can see below, I started pushing the tractors twice a day instead of only once.  

Careful.  Chicken poop will burn your grass

Not to worry, though.  After a rain and a week or two, this area will be dark green again, providing lush grass for Daisy, Rosie, Stryker, Maggie and Bully.