5 Backyard Chores For Your Chickens
Chickens are actually hard workers! Here’s what they can do to help you on the farm.
When most people think about the work chickens do on a farm, it’s usually their role in laying eggs to feed the farmer’s family – and, perhaps eventually, become a Sunday dinner to enjoy.
In truth, chickens can do so much more than help make an omelet.
If you’ve already got a chick or 20 to keep you company in the country, here are even more reasons that chickens make some of the best additions to any farm or homestead.
#1: They’re Excellent At Pest Control
Have a garden that often has ticks and fleas eating through your leafed vegetables?
Give your chickens a little free range to help out.
Chickens are actually incredibly great at pest control.
They’d love for the chance to chase and munch on those ticks.
And, in the process of digging for a snack, your hens will also:
#2: Prove That They Can Till Up to Six Inches of Soil.
Yup, no need to till by hand.
Just pen your chickens into the area that has an insect or pest problem in the spring and let them do their work.
And, at the end of the fall, let your chickens in again to clear up any vegetables that may have been missed, so you don’t have to.
#3: They’re Great For Fertilizer
If you’ve seen the amount of feed go into your hens each week, then you’ve likely seen how much comes out.
Don’t just clean up their droppings and get rid of them.
Instead, use their gift as the perfect fertilizer for your garden, flower beds, and yard.
Your hens’ poop is full of great vitamins and nitrogen that are extremely healthy for your soil.
No need to thank us.
#4: They’ve Got a Knack For Composting
If you’ve got a compost pile, then you’re likely heading out to turn it every so often.
The stink can sometimes be enough to have us dread the very act of lifting the lid.
What might make us cringe is actually your chickens’ favorite meal.
Let your chickens in to break down the pile, and you won’t be disappointed.
They’ll enjoy having a bite to eat and clear out any flies that may be hanging around.
#5: They’ll Enjoy Your Food Scraps
Chickens are definitely not vegetarians.
They’ll eat almost anything you feed them.
To increase the taste and frequency of egg production, make 10% of their daily meals food scraps from your kitchen.
You can either throw them into your coop for your hens to enjoy or add them with your normal feed into your Grandpa’s Feeder each day.
And, of course, don’t forget that hens are the best for making eggs, so promote a healthy environment and keep them happy.
Take a look at our automatic chicken feeders, or check out our blog for more helpful articles about raising chickens.