Chickens in Apricot Orchard

Layers are sensitive to extremely hot weather, and the stress from the heat causes them to lay fewer eggs. We manage by providing our flock with cooler ground with ample shade. Once our apricot harvest is finished, normally by mid-July, our chickens are moved into the orchard.

During the summer, our chickens get to eat tomato, pepper, and melon culls.

Chickens in Alfalfa

Six Acres of Alfalfa

Seeded in fall and established over six months on rainwater, our alfalfa pasture welcomed our layers late May.  It's a six-acre pasture, primarily seeded with alfalfa, and divided into three two-acre blocks for rotation.  The chickens have been busy pecking at the vegetation near their mobile coops, but there's plenty more in waiting!

The pasture is intended to stand year-round, so we'll minimally irrigate during summer and fall.  Also, there is a mixture of drought-resistant grasses seeded in the ground to take place of the alfalfa when it goes dormant in winter.  The mix includes orchard and rye grass for fall and vetch for winter.    

A farmer's observations: The gift of good land in spring - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

A farmer's observations: The gift of good land in spring - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Posted using ShareThis

Chickens in Oat Grass

Super Coop

Those adorable chicks (see photos below) are now young chickens. To accommodate housing for more than 300 growing chickens, we began construction of a new coop earlier this month. 

Our biggest mobile coop yet, the interior of the "Super Coop" measures 29' long, 7.5' wide, and 7.5' tall on one side and 6.5' tall on the other. 

We're very happy with the new coop, and more importantly, so are the tenants.