Pastured Poultry at PCLF

Hens on Pasture!

by Sharon Gaughan, PCLF Education Program Director

On Tuesday, May 14, our chicken flock finally moved from their winter hen house and run, to the egg mobile and pasture.  We were later than usual in getting them out, in large part due to the cold spring and lack of greens growing in the fields. 

We placed them not far from the Children’s Garden for their first pastured location – a great spot for them to be during our Farm Connections event on Saturday, May 18.  Today, after two weeks, we moved them to a new spot of pasture directly behind the Children’s Garden.

 

 

There are many advantages to pasturing chickens.  The hens have access to fresh growing greens, as well as the insects and worms that live among and below those greens.  And the chicken manure the girls leave behind is an excellent fertilizer for whatever will be grown there later in the season.

 

There are also a few potential disadvantages.  The egg mobile can never be quite as secure against predators as the winter hen house is.  And moving the egg mobile, electric fence, feeders, waterers, etc. etc. etc. every couple of weeks does take a bit of time and effort – even with six of us working to make it happen this morning. 

 

 

It’s so very worth it to me, though, every time I see the girls wandering through the vegetation, scratching about in their own unique sort of "chicken bliss"...