Happy Red Chicken due to Chicken Friendly Garden Design
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How to Design a Chicken Garden: Sample Free-Range Garden Plans

I think that we can all agree that free-range chickens are happier chickens. The ability to roam the yard and peck to their hearts content is way more mentally stimulating for a chicken, rather than being cooped up all day in a confined area.  However, there is a hard-won balance that every passionate gardener tries to achieve when adding their first few chickens to their household. Failing to research the proper chicken garden designs, beforehand, will cause you a headache worth squawking about.

Chicken Garden Design Comparision

3 Reasons Why You Should Care About Chicken Garden Designs

1) Chickens dig… a lot! This is can be torture when you find out that your cute little chickens have decided to rip up all the grass in your garden that you’ve spent months tending. Fun fact: Chickens will scratch! That’s how they dig for bugs as they roam your backyard. Pre-planning your chicken friendly garden design will help you keep the damage to a minimum.

2) Chickens need cleanup. These cute cluckers can kick up dust, scratch in mulch, and get dirty. As a result, you will need to spend time cleaning your chickens and their coops. Listen, you wouldn’t place a dog house  next to a mud puddle, right? The same logic applies here. Trust me, you’re going to want to plan out your chickens roaming areas.

3) Chicken fertilizer comes in the form of poop. I can’t stress this point enough; chickens poop a lot. It’s true that chicken poop makes for a wonderful fertilizer that both your plants and grass will love. However, I promise that you won’t be loving it when you find that same chicken poop on your favorite outdoor chair. Natural fertilizer is great. Having designated poop boundaries are better!

How to Design the Best Chicken Garden Layer-by-Layer:

 

Level 1: The Ground Level

Gravel: If you’re in a hotter climate, you may not have the luxury of having grass in your yard. However, it’s not all bad. Gravel serves as a good supply of grit to help your chickens digest any fibrous materials from your free-ranging chickens.

Grass: On the other hand, if you do have grass feel free to put your chickens to work. Using a chicken wire fence, you can create a temporary graze area. Chickens act as natural lawn mowers as they graze. Also, you’re gaining the added benefit of building richer soil from the chicken fertilizer. It’s important to note that you’ll want to move your chickens when you see that the grass has become shorter than 2 inches in length.

Grass area for Chicken Garden design

 

Level 2: The Herb & Veggie Layer

Chickens will love chowing down on some tasty greens in your garden. The greens on this level are edible and easy to reach. Plus, chickens will eat many of the bugs that attack your herbs and veggies that you don’t want to kill with pesticides. The trick is to make sure you don’t plant all of your herbs and veggies in one place. Otherwise, you will encourage overgrazing. Give your herbs and veggies some space by planting them throughout your chicken garden.

Happy Red Chicken due to Chicken Garden Design

[alert type=”info” close=”false”]Types of greens that can be planted at this level are: lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard, lavender, Swiss chard, and parsley.[/alert]

 

Level 3: Bushes & Shrubs Layer

Having a well-placed shrub or bush in your backyard will serve two important purposes for your chickens. Firstly, it will provide natural shade and protection to your chickens when they are away from their chicken coop. Secondly, your bushes and shrubs can provide food for your chickens in the form of berries, fruit, and seeds.

Blueberry bush for Chicken Garden design

[alert type=”info” close=”false”]Types of bushes and shrubs to consider are: blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, pomegranates, and gooseberries.[/alert]

Level 4: The Top Layer

Your top layer will typically consist of trees that bear fruit. These trees will serve as additional shade and sources of food for your chickens. Unlike your Bushes and Shrubs layer your Top Layer trees will require more sunlight. As a result, you should plant these fruit bearing trees just outside the edge of your new chicken-friendly garden.

Top Layer Trees for Chicken Garden
Photo courtesy of www.gardendesigninc.com/blog

[alert type=”info” close=”false”]Assuming that your climate will encourage their growth, these are top layer trees: apple, pear, and peach trees.[/alert]

*HELP* “What if I don’t have any mature plants or trees to shelter my chickens in my garden?”

Answer: If you don’t yet have any plants or trees big enough to shelter your chickens, then you need to consider investing in a larger style chicken coop, that’s up off the ground. That way your chickens can continue to roam around, roost, and lay eggs. Also, having a proper chicken coop can protect your chickens from poor weather conditions and potential predators. 

Chicken coops available at Aosom.com

Samples of Finished Chicken Garden Designs

 

Chicken Garden layout Aosom
Photo courtesy of www.dummies.com
Chicken Garden layout built
Photo courtesy of www.pinterest.com/pin/112941903126610471/

Each layer of your new chicken garden offers a chance to grow beautiful edibles while simultaneously, developing a better harmony between you and your garden. Take advantage of designing a chicken garden, using the different layers method, because it will provide you with a stunning layered landscape, richer soil, and a multitude of good eats for your happy free-range chickens.

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carol clark
carol clark
7 years ago

i love the design i had chickens but i do plan on getting more with a few nitches that i need to make

Barrie
Barrie
7 years ago

I live in the city but find this very interesting. I support local farmers who have free-range chickens!

Jeani Brickner
Jeani Brickner
7 years ago

this is such a helpful post! we’re going to buy our land and start homesteading in about a year. i like these plans and ideas very much.

Michelle Corriveau-Carlino
Michelle Corriveau-Carlino
7 years ago

I live within city limits..and recently they past an ordinance allowing chickens.
So I hope within the coming year to get a few..

Cindy Conner Bowling
Cindy Conner Bowling
7 years ago

My husband is wanting to raise chickens. Thank you for all the great ideas that can help him get started.

Karo
Karo
7 years ago

I love the layered garden to stimulate the chickens

Cheryll Shubert
Cheryll Shubert
7 years ago

This is an awesome article. my best friend raises chickens and there is so much great info in this article that I sent her the web address. Thanks so much! It’s amazing the things I learn from you!!

Terry Poage
7 years ago

All Chickens should be able to live this way.

R_Lexington
R_Lexington
7 years ago

One thing that needs to be said is that free range does have limits. Other people’s property needs to be respected, and that means fencing your property to keep the chickens in. I known of several families that have chickens and don’t fence them in a all. The only boundary those chickens respect is the highway. They have learned to stay out of the road so they won’t get hit. Otherwise, they go all over the place.

Toni Schlinsog
Toni Schlinsog
7 years ago

Some great ideas!

Toni Schlinsog
Toni Schlinsog
7 years ago

Great information!

Cassandra D.
Cassandra D.
7 years ago

This is a great article. Thank you.

Celeste Herrin
Celeste Herrin
7 years ago

My husband and I were just having a similar conversation the other day. I was so happy to see your post! Thank you for all the great information! I can’t wait to pass on what I learned 🙂