I created quite a stir in the chicken run today - it was time to build the residents a herbatorium.
This is an idea that I must have read about somewhere in the permaculture literature, I just can’t remember where, so I don’t know who to credit.
As most of you would know, chickens left to their own devices, will reduce a lush green chicken run to the Kalahari in a relatively short space of time.
With the herbatorium (as I grandiosely call it), green feed such as comfrey can be safely grown under a metal grid and the chickens can nibble at the leaves that grow through the mesh, without being able to scratch up the plant itself.
All that was involved was to dig up some ground in the run, build a small square of bricks (two high) and lay a metal grid of chicken wire on top. I used bamboo to peg the bricks so that they wouldn’t come away from under the grid.
Comfrey was planted and I also threw in a few seeds (lucerne, cow pea & pigeon pea) which I hope will also take.
The following thumbnails show the ‘highlights’ of setting up the herbatorium this afternoon. It will be a good lesson in delayed gratification for the girls, as it will be a few weeks before the first leaves start pushing up near the mesh.
Brilliant idea, Scarecrow did something similar using old bread crates, must try it some time myself.
Wow it looks awesome. Keep it up the good work.
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Very clever idea. Wish I had run across this idea when I had the little home flock.
I’ve now seen the Scarecrow version which beats mine hands down. I must get me a hold of some of those bread crates.
http://scarecrowsgarden.blogspot.com/2007/06/chicken-greens.html
What a fabulous idea! Usually our creek where the chickens free range stays lush, but with our extreme drought the chickens have picked it nearly clean and I’m seeing signs of erosion (if you can call it that without rain).
Thanks for joining my blog, I look forward to seeing what you are doing down under!
–Sage
Just LOVE this idea. I’m yet to get my chooks (still in the process of planning) but this will be a must for my run
Just check up on the volume of comfrey that’s ok for chickens. My understanding is that too much is going to damage their kidneys (just as it would do to ours).
Hi James just wondering how the herbatorium is going? Looks like a great idea.
Sue – I don’t think this will be an issue as the amount of comfrey that they will be nibbling each day through the mesh will be quite a small part of their overall diet. But thanks – it is worth keeping in mind.
Greg – comfrey is growing well in the herbatorium. It’s still winter though so growth is slow – hasn’t made up to the mesh for the chickens to peck at yet. I will post a photo when I see the first chicken having a nibble.