Chicken Chatter: Benefits of chickens in the garden

Many people may be surprised to find out that chickens make a wonderful addition to a productive vegetable garden.

Chickens are fun to have in the garden.

I have a small flock of five hens that were picked up as chicks in May 2011.  They started laying eggs in mid-October, and now I am getting over a dozen eggs a week.

Some benefits of chickens in the garden

• Provide eggs and meat
• Control weeds and insects
• Mow the grass
• Make fertilizer (manure)
• Till the soil by scratching
• Eat kitchen scraps, so they don't go to waste
• Endless entertainment

Chickens are fairly low-maintenance, and make a great backyard addition.  Compared to other livestock, they need a small amount of room, and they don't eat very much.  They are also easy to handle, due to their small size.

Chickens in a movable pen to mow grass.

We mow a lot less since we got chickens: we just move them around the yard in a portable pen (also known as a chicken tractor) during the day, and they eat and scratch the grass.

Chickens are a constant source of amusement.