Farm & Flock Home on the Graze animals for small homesteads. In well-designed tractors, they gently harvest forage while leaving manure directly where it’ s needed. Their impact is light, making them especially useful on fragile or improving ground.
The key with rabbits is movement. Tractors should be shifted frequently, often daily, to prevent overuse and uneven manure buildup. Shade, airflow and predator protection are non-negotiable, but when those needs are met, rabbits can be a quiet powerhouse in a micro-scale rotation.
Quail
Quail are lightweight, fast-moving and well-suited to rotational systems when given appropriate housing. Small tractors allow them to interact with the land without creating concentrated damage. Their manure integrates quickly, and short stays prevent stress on both birds and pasture.
Because quail are more sensitive than chickens, frequent moves are essential. Rotating them through small sections encourages even distribution and keeps ground cover intact. On small acreage, quail shine when treated as a brief-impact species rather than a permanent one.
Broiler Chickens
Broiler chickens bring more soil disturbance, which can be either a benefit or a problem depending on how it’ s managed. Tractors offer maximum control and are well-suited to daily moves, while electric net fencing allows for larger paddocks and less labor once birds are trained.
In a micro-scale rotation, broilers are often most effective following other grazing pressure. This can resemble a grazing pattern of rabbits, followed by quail, followed by chickens, as we implement at our farm. Their scratching helps incorporate manure, manage insects and reset pasture when timing and density are right. They even act as wasted feed control from the rabbits and quail when following behind those species. The goal
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