Lawn Magic with Chickens

Sometimes you just have to experiment right? So when the opportunity came to have 2 chickens in our yard for 2 weeks, we couldn't resist. We thought the kids would enjoy it, and see the relationship from land to table (“you mean all the food doesn’t come from the grocery store mom?”).

The first morning we found an egg and it was glorious. The kids were impressed and proud. We were thrilled that the experiment was working. We had fresh, great-tasting & nutritious eggs and the raccoons hadn't discovered the chickens yet.

What we didn't bank on was the lawn care capabilities of these 2 healthy 6 month old Light Brahma chickens. They are clipping the grass and getting rid of pests. Chickens are great at controlling cockroaches, tomato horn worms, aphids, grubs, or any other pest, naturally. So there is no need to put chemicals in your yard. I even read that chickens will eat mice. Wow, are they multi functional.

They are also, let's just say, doing a nice job fertilizing. Since the “house” they live in while they temporarily reside here is portable, we keep moving it around so the chickens can do their magic all over the yard. If you have free range chickens, you can image the possibilities.

Chicken manure is an excellent option for lawn fertilizing as it is very high in nitrogen and is often protected from the weather, which helps conserve nutrients. It is also great for the compost pile.

So now this little food cycle experiment has me scooping chicken poop and putting it on the plants. Supposedly they will flourish.

If you don't think raising chickens is your thing but want to get your hands – or perhaps your spreader - on their manure as fertilizer try your local farmers or a local feed store.

But if you are game for some chickens, become part of the local food movement. Contact a local farm for information about raising chickens in your community. Our chickens came with their own coop but if you need to build one, here are some tips.

Tread Lighter with chickens,
-Phyllis, Green Expert

Comments

[Lisa Gilbert]

such a creative experiment! Once you give the chickens back, what comes next?

[Susan @ Your home, only better.]

Wow - I had absolutely no idea! Not sure if I'm up for scooping chicken poop though. ;)

[Alycia Wicker]

Interesting. Way back in the day it was so common and anymore its odd, so this is cool what you got going on. Do they make a lot of noise?

[Phyllis Lessner-Theermann]

Alycia I heard a piece on NPR today about backyard chickens
http://www.onpointradio.org/2009/09/backyard-chickens and one woman said
that it is like a water feature with a soothing kind of sound. She and her
family imagine that the chickens are saying "everything is going to be fine
fine fine".