Resilient plants to entice hens outdoors on free range farms

Plants (ground cover and trees) grown on free range layer farms provide a vital role by enriching the outdoor range and creating an attractive area for hens to go outdoors and explore. However, specific information on what to grow and how to go about sowing pastures and planting trees/shrubs is not easy to find for free range egg farmers, with material spread across many and varied sources. Therefore, the main aim of the project was to consolidate agronomic information on the how and what to plant while also taking into consideration the main climatic zones of Australia.

As a result a guideline package on “Pasture, Tree and Shrub Selection and Management on Australian Free Range Egg Farms” was developed. Information for the package was consolidated from a variety of sources including the experiences and knowledge from case study farms in different climatic zones of Australia. The project highlighted the important role perennial pasture plants have by providing ground cover while trees and shrubs are vital in supplying shade and shelter