Chicken Forage

I read a very interesting article about raising chickens that advocated a paddock system as a way to reduce feed costs. The area in use for my flock isn’t big enough to separate into areas that would have time to rejuvenate between rotations but being roughly 20′ x 60′ I believe I can devide the area in half and still not overcrowd the girls. For a foundation I am going to plant a red mulberry tree in each 20’x30′ paddock, then I need to find some durable shrubs that will hold up to both the chickens and the hot dry summers here in Vegas. Does anyone have any suggestions? Will chickens eat rosemary? I know that stuff is tough and who knows maybe it would preseason my unwanted roosters! Bamboo is another plant I was considering, I have two big clumps of oldham bamboo that I can cut a chunk out of to transplant into the paddocks. I was kinda thinking that I would put a clump of bamboo near the overflow of my duck pond in the one area then place my 2′ diameter water basin in the second area with the bamboo located in the overflow from that. There is irrigation lines that have drip manifolds in both areas that are on a time clock to fill the waterers. I would sure appreciate any advice, expert or otherwise.

Max

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