Grazing Frames

Grazing Frames for the chicken run will supply fresh greens throughout the warm seasons, as well as protect the roots from damage.  Grasses or herbs grow through the wire to be nipped and consumed by the chickens.

Since my Garden Coop and Run are visible from the patio and much time is spent in the garden, all exposed wood is decorated with redwood stain for eye appeal. For maximum durability, I applied two coats of stain on pressure-treated 2" x 4" studs in anticipation of many years of service.
No job is complete without a supervisor!

Washers and screws attached the 1" x 1" welded wire to the frame.


A center support was necessary for each 8' x 24" frame.

The Grazing Frames were placed on each side of the run.
The tarp does not cover them in the spring, but was added later.
The next step is to side dress the frames with compost followed by a sprinkling of orchard grass and white clover seeds.  [Fortunately or unfortunately, I had bermuda grass volunteer!]  After another layer of compost manure and a rain shower, the grazing frames are ready for warmer temperatures to grow!

One month later, 7.5 feet of grazing frames were built for each side, 15 feet total.  This gives more green space, but also helps with water that drips off the tarp roof into the run during rain.  Brown sand was put in the run over the dirt. 
Several clumps of white clover
were transplanted in the

new grazing frames, but a seed
mix was also used.
Top, right of photo.
The first grazing frames are enjoyed daily!
Yes, some of the girls are wearing Pinless Peepers for aggression.
The caged hen is being reintroduced, healed from injuries received from bullies!

Fall, 2021:
My chicken adventure ended when I was down to three hens after downsizing in fall of 2020.  These were older hens, costing more to feed than they were worth in eggs.  Instead of starting again with pullets, I was satisfied with the experience.  The story continues with repurposing the grazing frames into a raised, garden bed, converting the hen house into a potting shed, and the chicken run into an arbor.  [See related pages.]

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