Chickens are often the gateway animals for permaculture gardeners. They are one of the best ways to gain an introduction to keeping livestock, and may well, space permitting, give you the bug for incorporating other types of creature into your site. There are many things that chickens bring to a permaculture plot. These are considered the chicken’s products and a very varied. As long as you provide for the birds’ needs, you will enjoy all the following benefits of keeping chickens.
Food
One of the primary reasons to keep chickens is that they provide food. Given the right sort of conditions, many species will produce eggs on most days. The Rhode Island Red, for example, averages 300 eggs per year per bird. Not only does this give you a consistent supply as tasty food, you can be sure of exactly what has gone into the production of the eggs, from the welfare of the birds to the food that has been processed by them. In modern egg production facilities, cramped unnatural conditions and the use of antibiotics are common.
One of the primary reasons to keep chickens is that they provide food. Given the right sort of conditions, many species will produce eggs on most days. The Rhode Island Red, for example, averages 300 eggs per year per bird. Not only does this give you a consistent supply as tasty food, you can be sure of exactly what has gone into the production of the eggs, from the welfare of the birds to the food that has been processed by them. In modern egg production facilities, cramped unnatural conditions and the use of antibiotics are common.
Chickens can also provide meat. It can be quite a confronting thing to consider killing animals you have raised, but you can be secure in the knowledge that you have given them a happy life, one that met their needs and allowed them to live as natural a life as possible.
Recycling
And what is it that these birds are processing to become food in the shape of eggs and meat? Well, one of them is the scraps from your kitchen. Chickens are omnivorous and are a very good way of recycling so-called ‘waste’ material. They will eat most fruit and vegetable scraps (although onion and citrus peel should be avoided to prevent tainting the taste of the eggs), as well as red meat. It goes without saying that you should not feed chickens the remains of their own kind.
And what is it that these birds are processing to become food in the shape of eggs and meat? Well, one of them is the scraps from your kitchen. Chickens are omnivorous and are a very good way of recycling so-called ‘waste’ material. They will eat most fruit and vegetable scraps (although onion and citrus peel should be avoided to prevent tainting the taste of the eggs), as well as red meat. It goes without saying that you should not feed chickens the remains of their own kind.
Manure
Once the chicken has eaten its food and its physiological processes have extracted the parts it requires to sustain it as well as produce eggs, what happens to the remainder? Well, it becomes manure. But even the chicken’s waste product is a valuable product that the permaculture gardener can utilize. Chicken droppings are rich in urea, meaning the have good levels of nitrogen. This chemical element is one of the essentials ones required by plants in order to grow and produce fruit. Providing sufficient nitrogen to plants is one of the key things to ensuring a good harvest. Chicken manure added to the soil is one of the best ways to achieve this. However, the manure should be composted first as used directly on garden beds it carries a risk of burning plant roots and stems.
Once the chicken has eaten its food and its physiological processes have extracted the parts it requires to sustain it as well as produce eggs, what happens to the remainder? Well, it becomes manure. But even the chicken’s waste product is a valuable product that the permaculture gardener can utilize. Chicken droppings are rich in urea, meaning the have good levels of nitrogen. This chemical element is one of the essentials ones required by plants in order to grow and produce fruit. Providing sufficient nitrogen to plants is one of the key things to ensuring a good harvest. Chicken manure added to the soil is one of the best ways to achieve this. However, the manure should be composted first as used directly on garden beds it carries a risk of burning plant roots and stems.
There are other uses of chicken manure as well. Some permaculturists use it to sustain fish in an aquaculture system. The fish feed on the nutrients in the manure and then the fish droppings are used as food for plants in vegetable beds. Some gardeners have made this ecological cycle even more self-sustaining by siting their chicken coop over the aquaculture tanks, meaning the droppings are fed directly into the water, rather than being manually distributed. In such a system, all the gardener has to do is feed the chickens and harvest the crops.
Heat
Chickens, like all warm-blooded animals, give off heat, which is another prod cut of the chicken that can be utilized
by the permaculture gardener. One common way of doing so is to site your chicken coop either inside a greenhouse (you will need to ensure droppings don not build up too much as the ammonia they release can be detrimental to the plants inside) or next to it so that while the birds do not access the greenhouse, the heat they give off radiates into it. Another option is to place you chicken coop next to the outside wall of your bathroom in order to help heat it, thus saving on your energy bills.
Chickens, like all warm-blooded animals, give off heat, which is another prod cut of the chicken that can be utilized
by the permaculture gardener. One common way of doing so is to site your chicken coop either inside a greenhouse (you will need to ensure droppings don not build up too much as the ammonia they release can be detrimental to the plants inside) or next to it so that while the birds do not access the greenhouse, the heat they give off radiates into it. Another option is to place you chicken coop next to the outside wall of your bathroom in order to help heat it, thus saving on your energy bills.
CO2
Another product that the chicken produces just by virtue of being alive is carbon dioxide. Like all air-breathing animals, chickens use oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon dioxide to grow and give off oxygen. Siting your chicken coop inside or next to the greenhouse allows you to make use of chicken breath as well as body heat.
Another product that the chicken produces just by virtue of being alive is carbon dioxide. Like all air-breathing animals, chickens use oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon dioxide to grow and give off oxygen. Siting your chicken coop inside or next to the greenhouse allows you to make use of chicken breath as well as body heat.
Soil Turning
One of the natural behaviors that permaculture gardeners should ensure that their chickens are allowed to exhibit is scratching at the ground. The birds do this to uncover worms, insects and seeds to eat, but is helps the gardener too, turning the topsoil so it aerates and improving the structure so nutrients and moisture can penetrate. The Sussex breed is well regarded for its soil-turning abilities. They can also be used to help turn compost.
One of the natural behaviors that permaculture gardeners should ensure that their chickens are allowed to exhibit is scratching at the ground. The birds do this to uncover worms, insects and seeds to eat, but is helps the gardener too, turning the topsoil so it aerates and improving the structure so nutrients and moisture can penetrate. The Sussex breed is well regarded for its soil-turning abilities. They can also be used to help turn compost.
Pest Control
As chickens scratch at the ground, they uncover insects and other animals to eat. Not only is this a natural source of food for the birds, the behavior can help the gardener by keeping pest populations under control. For instance, chickens eat slugs and snails that can damage vegetable crops, while in an orchard will eat fruit fly maggots in fallen fruit and help prevent this insect, which damages fruit crops, from breeding.
As chickens scratch at the ground, they uncover insects and other animals to eat. Not only is this a natural source of food for the birds, the behavior can help the gardener by keeping pest populations under control. For instance, chickens eat slugs and snails that can damage vegetable crops, while in an orchard will eat fruit fly maggots in fallen fruit and help prevent this insect, which damages fruit crops, from breeding.
Enjoyment
It must also not be forgotten that having chickens in your permaculture garden will also bring you enjoyment and pleasure, simply by their presence. Different species are known to have different characteristics (such as the Orpington being known to actively seek human company), but individual chickens have their own personalities as well. Some may be shy and need time to develop a trusting relationship, while others can be upfront and demand attention.
It must also not be forgotten that having chickens in your permaculture garden will also bring you enjoyment and pleasure, simply by their presence. Different species are known to have different characteristics (such as the Orpington being known to actively seek human company), but individual chickens have their own personalities as well. Some may be shy and need time to develop a trusting relationship, while others can be upfront and demand attention.
Learning
Keeping chickens is also a very good way not only of providing children with the pleasure of observing and interacting with the animals, but also of teaching them about where food comes from. If you have young children, an easy-going breed is recommended. Consider the Wyandotte or the Delaware as species known to have placid natures.
Keeping chickens is also a very good way not only of providing children with the pleasure of observing and interacting with the animals, but also of teaching them about where food comes from. If you have young children, an easy-going breed is recommended. Consider the Wyandotte or the Delaware as species known to have placid natures.
No comments:
Post a Comment