It Takes Eight Chickens to Grow a Garden

What began as a fun project for the kids, soon became great fun in the garden. We got baby chicks from the local feed store and raised them for the nice fresh eggs they would provide. I was convinced that "the girls" could be trained to eat slugs and help me keep those trouble-makers at bay. I had noticed them darting after bugs and worms so I introduced them to the pearly little slug eggs I found under rocks and along the moist edges of the gardens. Then I went on to introduce them to baby slugs. As the chickens grew, I showed them larger and larger slugs. They were good enough to oblige me by eating them by the score.

The lovely old girl in the photo here, Henny Penny, was my faithful companion for 8 years. This is a long life for a laying hen. She followed me everywhere and obliged me by eating whatever I pointed to! She scratched her feet into the dirt and made this low, cooing bock-bock-bocking noise to show her appreciation.

I found that a family of four could use about 8 laying hens---for eggs and then for the wonderful function as makers of compost. Their droppings, combined with yard debris, seemed to balance out just about right. Things like weeds, foliage from cutting back my flowers, the cucumber and bean vines, the carrot tops and any other organic thing I had too much of, went onto the floor of their pen. Vegetable scraps from the kitchen were favorites for the girls ! When it got wet and yucky in there, I added clean straw and of course kept their laying boxes filled with clean straw. A couple of times a year I would dig down to the bottom of the pen and find the most beautiful compost!!!

Our chickens were more like pets to us. Although they had a nice little coop, we let them out to wander around the yard everyday. A little shooing away from the young veggie plants was in order but they patrolled the whole yard, eating numerous insects and keeping things in order. A few droppings on the paths were easy to hose off. Their sweet cackling and charming little antics were our reward.

The compost went back on the veggie garden and the cycle continued. The heavy clay soil devoured the organic materials and gave me some lovely gardens. For years, I relied only on the hens for fertilizer.

When I gave up my hens, I discovered how much good they had been doing my garden. My clay soil quickly reverted to being hard and difficult to manage. The garden suffered. Chickens were a very easy and inexpensive way to accomplish organic gardening. Eight chickens were enough to supply the needs of a small family garden. Mine was about 10x15 or 20 feet. I miss those hens, especially when I have to purchase chicken manure. They were a great family project and such a boon to the garden!!!! If you have ever considered raising chickens, I would highly recommend it. The delicious eggs, the compost, the entertainment, the gentle beauty and harmony......

Later on, I'll tell you all about our "ChickaTiller."