The Barn
Freesteading group focused on the discussion of livestock.
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Leader follower grazing systems
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Leader follower grazing systems
Looking for any and all input from folks with experience in leader follower grazing systems doing rotational grazing. I’m in east central Alabama and currently doing research on grazing systems to help the land. Plan on Building topsoil and getting rid of the less appetizing weeds and seeding with better grass. Primarily looking at using sheep, pigs, and ducks as well as chickens and probably a few ‘guard geese’ Will be using premier1 electric netting to contain and move them around the field. We are in the middle of nowhere so we do have a presence of predators like coyotes, coons, opposums, fox, hawks. Poultry I will be building mobile sled style coops as the terrain isn’t smooth for wheels, they will be locked in these at night and I’m planning on providing additional shelters to hide under from hawks and such during the day when they are ranging in their net pen. Any advice, recommendations, and personal experience is welcome here! Don’t currently have any of these critters, want to have all my plans and structures in place first.
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4 Replies
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Check out Gabe Browns video’s on youtube about soil regeneration mix plants in that both help fix and build the soil and that the animals you’re getting will feed on. Using plants and animals plus any organic materials you can find will build the soil faster than any one way alone. Pre charged Bio-char is also a great option.
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If you build your poultry tractor raised off the ground over the skids, the birds can hid under it if there are weather or predator issues and you won’t have to move any other shelter along with it.
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Wanting all the infrastructure in place before getting critters is commendable and I support the idea. Just want to add, though, be prepared to change. Create flexible systems. You will learn so much more once the critters are actually on your property. No matter how much research you do, you will find things you want to do different when you are working daily with your livestock. Speaking from experience. When I started, I put lots of money, time, and sweat into everything, wanting it to be just right. Now, there are multiple areas I want to change but I feel kinda bad about it because I invested so much into the current setup.
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Yes, I want to have my electric netting all set up and have a usable safe coop for them, I’m looking to make a structure that will be sound and last awhile with the abuse it’s gonna take moving around, but also not make anything to flamboyant and grand for my first round. I’m currently thinking I’ll make two or three different style tractors to figure out which one works best for my situation moving forward, but not make them so crappy they fall apart or put the birds at risk. I’m thinking I’d try a chick Shaw like Justin Rhodes for the chickens, but not for the ducks as they don’t do well on wire floor and they don’t roost, so at least two different skid sled base coops, I’m currently sketching out a frame for a lean to shed style, and also have sketches on an aframe but that would have less usable space just with the weird angles and the roost being so low on the far sides. And I’m not sure about the Joel salatin style as the flat top would not drain water off well but otherwise is such a great idea. But I know with experience I’ll figure what works best and what I would want to do differently in my own coops
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