I absolutely love having my chickens run through the back yard on a summer day. They always provide entertainment when they chase each other or run after a bug that is flying by. I also love the fact that they give our family nutritious eggs. But don’t you wish that your chickens could work for you…well they can! Yep, you heard me right. Here are 6 ways I make my chickens do my to do list.
Till the garden
If you have had chickens for any time at all, then you realize that they love to scratch the ground in search of worms and seeds. But you can harness this natural instinct by placing them in the garden in the spring. Just let them inside the garden fence and they will start to scratch up a perfect seed bed.
Spread mulch and compost
Another thing that chickens like to do is spread out a pile of mulch and compost. When I need the chickens to spread out my mulch and compost in the garden before spring planting, I simply make a pile and let the chickens in. After a few hours they have spread out the whole pile.
Compost making
In my chicken coop, I use the deep bedding method. That is simply adding more straw in the coop so that the manure and straw decompose. To make this whole process easier for me, I simply throw scratch grains onto the bedding and the chickens will turn the whole pile for me. You can also use this method on your compost pile.
Eliminating garden pests
Chickens love to eat insects; so when you have an insect problem, let your chickens take care of it. I let my chickens free range in my yard so that they will eat mosquitos, ticks, Japanese beetles, and other bugs. You can also use them in the garden; just be careful that they do not also eat your plants.
Recycling food scraps
I always like to tell people that my chickens can turn food scraps into eggs. If you want to cut down on feed cost and feed your chicken healthy food, supplement their feed with vegetable scraps. You can also give them vegetables out of the garden that are not good enough for the kitchen.
Fertilizing your lawn and garden
If you let your chickens free range or run them around in a portable coop they will fertilize your yard for free. Chicken manure is very high in nitrogen which is the nutrient that makes grass that bright green color. So, let your chickens free range if you want free fertilizer.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let your chickens get by with just giving you eggs. Pay attention to their natural instincts and figure out how your chickens can work for you. They will get the benefit of exercising and healthy food while you get extra time in your day.
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