I’ve tried every version of a chicken food forest — frames on the ground, big covered runs, you name it. Most got buried or pooped out. This time I finally landed on a system that works: seven small cold frames, one opened each day, reseeded nightly. It gives my flock fresh greens like oats, legumes, and forage mix on rotation, without getting destroyed. Here’s how I built it, how the rotation works, and why it lasts.
Useful links:
Silicone Rubber Edge Trim:
https://amzn.to/4mzcs7dPolycarbonate Greenhouse Panels:
https://amzn.to/3W2J7HoMetal Door Handles:
https://amzn.to/4gHZq60Garden Marker Pen:
https://amzn.to/4nM8Nnq00:00 How to grow plants in a chicken run
00:36 Why salad bars fail in chicken runs
01:18 First attempts: garden bed with wire frame
02:26 Ground-level frames and their problems
02:41 Discovering cold frames for chickens
03:57 The big mistake: poop covered frames
05:03 Fixing it with angled sprouting frames
05:25 How feed chickens more sprouts and grass
05:44 Soil, compost, and concrete border setup
06:01 Building seven frames for rotation
06:25 Choosing fodder: chicken-friendly plants list
06:51 Daily rotation system: soak, seed, regrow
07:28 Supplementing chicken feed, nutrition benefits
07:54 Extending the season with cold frames
08:10 Switching to greenhouse kale in winter
08:16 Resiliency practice for feed shortages
08:30 Recap: angled frames + rotation system
08:46 Bloopers and outtakes
09:40 Outro | Support the channel + more videos
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