Keeping hens in a small orchard run

Why hens belong under the trees

An English orchard is more than a row of apple, pear and plum trees. It is a living floor of grass, fallen fruit, insects and soil life. A small flock of hens fits into that picture beautifully. They scratch through the leaf litter, hunting codling moth larvae, sawfly grubs and overwintering pests. Their droppings add nitrogen and organic matter exactly where the trees feed. In return, the orchard gives them shade, foraging and a varied diet. The trick is to keep the hens in a movable ark so their benefits are spread evenly and their damage is limited.

Choose a movable ark that suits your ground

A movable ark is the heart of a small orchard run. For three to six hens, look for a house around 1.2 metres by 1 metre, with a raised sleeping area and a secure run attached. The whole ark should be light enough to shift every few days, but heavy enough not to blow over in a gale. A frame of treated timber and weldmesh is ideal; chicken wire alone will not stop a determined fox. Fit a solid roof over the nest box and a corrugated bitumen sheet or tarpaulin over part of the run.

• Move the ark every three to seven days, before the grass turns to bare mud.
• Use a handle or wheel at one end so one person can move it without strain.
• Keep a gap of at least one metre between the ark and tree trunks.
• Wrap young trees with spiral guards if hens are likely to scratch at the roots.

If you have more space, a mobile electric netting fence around the ark gives hens a larger scratching area. Move the fence with the ark so the flock always has fresh ground. Never let them stay in one spot long enough to create a dust bowl or a build-up of droppings.

Shade, shelter and clean water

Hens handle English weather well, but they need shade in summer and a dry place to stand in winter. The orchard canopy provides dappled shade, yet young trees may not have enough leaf cover. Add a shade cloth over one end of the run, or park the ark beside a hedge. Hens do not sweat, so a shaded dust bath helps them cool down. A shallow tray of dry soil, wood ash and sand gives them somewhere to clean their feathers and deter mites.

Clean water must be available at all times. A galvanised drinker of 3 to 5 litres is enough for a small flock, but check it twice a day in hot weather. Position it in the shade, not under a branch where leaves and droppings fall. Raise it on a brick or block to keep mud out. In frosty spells, bring the drinker indoors overnight or use an insulated cover. Hens will drink less if the water is stale, and that affects laying and health.

Feeding and flock management in the run

Hens in an orchard still need a balanced layers' pellet as the base of their diet. Scraps, windfall fruit and foraging are extras, not a complete ration. Feed in a hanging feeder that you lift at night to discourage rats and mice. Only give windfalls that are sound; mouldy fruit can carry toxins. Keep a supply of mixed grit and crushed oyster shell so eggshells stay strong.

• Allow about 1 square metre of run per hen if they are moved regularly.
• Keep no more than six hens under a small standard tree.
• Check for red mite in the ark each week, especially in warm weather.
• Store feed in a metal bin with a tight lid, away from the ark.

Rural living means neighbours, so a quiet cockerel is a courtesy. If you keep one, choose a calm breed and house him well away from bedroom windows. Most small orchard flocks do not need a cockerel for eggs, and hens are quieter without one. Watch for signs of bullying or feather pecking; more space and fresh ground usually solve it.

Working with the orchard floor

The real magic happens on the ground. As hens scratch, they break up fallen leaves and mix droppings into the topsoil. This feeds worms and soil microbes, which in turn feed the trees. Their manure is high in nitrogen, so do not let it pile up against trunks. Move the ark often, and give each patch at least four to six weeks to rest. A sprinkle of garden lime in winter helps sweeten the soil and reduce parasites.

At the end of the season, rake any remaining windfalls into the run for the hens to clear. They will eat grubs and larvae that would otherwise overwinter in the fruit. In return, their scratching aerates the orchard floor and saves you a job. Keep a shallow tray of water for washing muddy eggs, and collect eggs daily. With a movable ark, shade, clean water and a sensible rotation, hens and orchard trees look after each other. That is rural living at its most practical and pleasant.