Welcome to Community Chickens!
Sign Up for Your Free Newsletter!


  • Home
  • About
    • Contributors
    • Giveaways
    • Free Newsletter!
    • Become A Contributor
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
  • Free Newsletter
  • Chickens
    • Backyard Breeds
    • Heritage Breeds
    • Eggs
    • Chicks
    • Roosters
    • Behavior
  • Misc. Poultry
    • Ducks
    • Geese
    • Guineas
    • Turkeys
    • Exotic Species
  • Coops & More
    • Coops
      • Cool Coops
      • Coop Snoop
      • Nesting Boxes
      • Roosts
    • DIY
    • Product Reviews
    • Recipes
    • Feed Recipes
    • Safety
  • Podcast
  • Advertise
  • Shop

The Many Benefits of Farm Fowl

By Eric Guel on April 6, 2012 Visit Eric's Website.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email

By Eric Guel

My family has been homesteading for three years. Like most Western homesteaders, we’re hobby farmers … We don’t do this to stay alive, though we feel most alive when we’re doing it. 🙂

Through each passing season we’ve learned about gardening and animal husbandry through reading, asking our neighbors, asking our friends, and, most importantly, actually getting out there and doing something. Trial and error is a faithful schoolmaster.

Our flock of chickens has fluctuated from 10 to 30 birds, and our ducks (which are a perfect complement to chickens, but by no means a replacement) have been ubiquitous as well, as they’re good at hatching as many as 15 to 20 little billed buddies at a time.

All of those feathered friends are great for laying eggs, but that’s not the only benefit to fowl on the farm. What follows is a non-exhaustive list of the myriad ways homesteads benefit from chickens and ducks:

  • Eggs! Okay, we already mentioned that one.
  • Meat. If you’re not too squeamish to shed a little blood. Typical “meat bird” varieties, while not sustainable, come out far tastier than buying them from a grocery store, and, I’m sure, better for you as well … because you can put them on pasture and give them access to fresh air. For sustainable options, ducks are especially good because they’re so prolific. Quack quack.
  • Pest control. Yes, this is one of the oft-overlooked benefits of poultry. With free range chickens, say goodbye to any need for professional pest control. Seriously. Not only that, but poultry’s insatiable appetite for bugs will also help you save money on feed. See Mother Earth News’ Poultry Pest Patrol page for more details.
  • Rototilling. With enough time, chickens are the absolute best land cultivators. They’ll scratch up roots, eat anything in site that’s green, devour pesky bugs, and leave a fertile mix of manure in their wake. Recently my wife and I planted in an area where chickens have been kept for several months, with nary a sign of invasive weeds.
 
Resident Gardeners

Those are a few reasons why poultry just makes sense. They’re the perfect livestock and ridiculously versatile. Chickens in particular are hardy as all get out and nothing if not entertaining to watch.

Tags

  • Eric Guel
  • free range
  • Mother Earth News
  • Pest Control

Related Posts

 
Chickens, Chicks, Eggs

The Kid’s Guide to Talking Parents Into Chicks

 
Eggs

Heirloom Tomato, Turkey, Asparagus & Feta Cheese Fritatta

 
Eggs

Buying Eggs: Don’t Forget the Dictionary

 
Eggs, Recipes

Winter Comfort Food: Baked Custard

 
Eggs

14 Amazing Facts About Eggs

Leave a Comment

  Cancel Comment


2 Comments


Eric Guel
7 years ago

(Reply)



We may try Guinea fowl one day. I’ve heard good things.

kenlowder
7 years ago

(Reply)



Got a tick problem? Guinea fowl will forever remove that problem. They are also a very effective watch/alarm dog. I raise quail myself. They are contained in a coop so there is less mess that chickens can creat if not fenced where you don’t want then. Their poop is gold in my garden!



      Connect with Us

    • Get Our Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Grit

    • For more than 130 years, GRIT has helped its readers live more prosperously and happily while emphasizing the importance of community and a rural lifestyle tradition.
    • Subscribe Today!

      Popular

    • A Guide to Hatching Chicks in the Classroom, Part 1
    • Call for Authors
    • A bit of Chicken history and terminology
    • Starting My Egg Business — Twice
    • There’s a Lot to Love About Legbars!
    • Recent

    • There’s a Lot to Love About Legbars!
    • Starting My Egg Business — Twice
    • A bit of Chicken history and terminology
    • Call for Authors
    • A Guide to Hatching Chicks in the Classroom, Part 1


Our Partners:

  • Mother Earth News Grit
  • Dirt On My Plate
  • LL Farm
  • Livestock Conservancy
  • Iron Oak Farm
  • Chickens

    • There’s a Lot to Love About Legbars!
      February 21, 2019
    • Starting My Egg Business -- Twice
      February 21, 2019
    • A bit of Chicken history and terminology
      February 18, 2019
    • Call for Authors
      February 13, 2019
    • A Guide to Hatching Chicks in the Classroom, Part 1
      February 8, 2019

  • Coops

    • Preparing For Fall and Winter
      September 26, 2018
    • The Ultimate Chicken Coop By Hampel Corp
      September 1, 2018
    • Duckingham Palace
      August 30, 2018
    • Uses for Porcelain Eggs
      August 16, 2018
    • Does Your Flock Need a Grow-out Pen?
      July 16, 2018

  • Eggs

    • Starting My Egg Business -- Twice
      February 21, 2019
    • How to get More Eggs in Winter
      November 30, 2018
    • Easter Egger Chickens and Blue Eggs
      February 23, 2018
    • Thick And Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup
      February 21, 2018
    • Winter Eggs: The Big Egg Laying Slow Down
      February 13, 2018

  • DIY

    • Homemade Summer Chicken Heat Beaters!
      July 9, 2018
    • Repurpose Your Feed Bags
      June 20, 2018
    • 5 Key Steps to Building a Chicken Coop
      March 20, 2018
    • Part 2, Setting Up A Quality Brooder, Let’s Pick...
      March 7, 2018
    • Part 1, Setting Up A Quality Brooder, Let's Pick The Brooder
      March 6, 2018


Copyright © 2019, All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Ogden Publications, Inc., 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, Kansas 66609-1265
  • Home
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contributors
    • Become A Contributor
    • Contact Us
    • Back
  • Free Newsletter
  • Birds
    • Chickens
      • Backyard Chickens
      • Heritage Chickens
      • Chicks
      • Rooster
      • Broody
      • Silkies
      • Back
    • Eggs
    • Bantams
    • Ducks
    • Guineas
    • Turkeys
    • Funny Stories
    • Back
  • Coops & DIY
    • Coops
      • Cool Coops
      • Coop Snoop
      • Nesting Boxes
      • Roosts
      • Back
    • DIY
    • Product Reviews
    • Recipes
    • Safety
    • Back
  • Advertise
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.