Chickens are a vital part of the modern homesteader’s farm. They are a valuable source of meat, eggs, and pest control; they are also quite the handy little tools. The Swiss army knife of the homestead, basically! Did I mention that they make wonderful alarm systems? Let me tell you all about these incredible birds….
Toss the Tiller, Bring on the Chickens!
I am beyond amazed at the incredible benefits of chicken tractors. So far, my personal favorite is the chickens’ ability to clear out garden plots! They dig through the soil, eat the vegetation, shred it up, bury it with their manure so it can compost, and they eat some of the pests that are overwintering in the soil. I love the beds that they leave behind, and I simply throw straw over these cleared areas in order to plant a new garden. This mulch method is amazing. Check out the tilling chickens post if this method interests you. I do not use a tiller, or a plow. I simply cultivate the ground where I need to plant with a hand tool! You would not believe the amazing crops that you will harvest using chickens combined with mulched beds.
They Are Resilient and Produce Breakfast Almost Every Morning!
Chickens are known for being one of the most resilient homestead animals, and for giving you a protein rich harvest nearly every morning. As easy as they are to care for, it’s incredible to see how much food they can provide your family with. Now, when chickens molt, you might experience an “egg drought”, if you are new to chickens and haven’t gone through the winter molt, I hope you’re saving your extra eggs while the warm weather is still in full swing! Otherwise, most breeds will lay at least 1 egg every 3 days. It’s common to have hens that lay roughly 4 or 5 out of 7 days. In some cases, you might have a young hen in her prime who FAITHFULLY lays an egg every single day (almost!). This food source is treasured on many homesteads.
Goodbye Ticks, Spiders, Beetles, Crane Flies, & Tomato Horn Worms!
Chickens love bugs. There is little that is as entertaining as watching a hen obsessively bolt around, in pursuit of a horse fly. Chickens are driven by an instinct to peck, chase, and eat. If it moves, is shiny, or is brightly colored, they simply can’t resist. Chickens don’t have a taste for ALL bugs; squash bugs seem to be one of the pests that they do not enjoy. However, they can greatly reduce the populations of other pests while simultaneously lowering their food bill. In addition, all of these bugs help the hens to produce vibrant eggs while allowing young meat birds to pack on the weight and grow quickly.
Everyone Loves a Perfectly Roasted Chicken!
For the extra roosters, older hens, or poorly performing pullets, it might be time to dispatch them for dinner. While dispatching day is always a dreaded date, it is part of life on most homesteads. The benefit of home raised meat is that the family knows what the animal ate, they know how well the animal was treated, and they know that the meat is fresh and from a healthy, happy animal. Laying hens can produce fertile eggs for hatching, requiring little more than an incubator for hatching purposes. With a clean brooder, chick feed, and fresh water, the family is well on the way to stocking the freezer with healthy meat.