We consider our livestock more than merely commodities to be reared, processed and then sold to the consumer. As much as they are a means for sustenance, they are also an asset in the Permaculture farmer’s toolbox. Livestock, no matter the type, have intrinsic value beyond meat, eggs and milk… they have attributes that we can utilize to our benefit,the benefit of their livestock peers, and the benefit of the farm as a whole.
ABC acres is a broad-acre farm property. Encompassing nearly 80 acres, it is home to cattle, goats, chickens, hogs and turkeys; not too mention food forests, fedges, numerous food producing beds and more. All of these elements on the farm require management and care. Realizing that your livestock brethren have an active role in the overall health of the farm, makes one’s day to day tasks a little easier.
Our chickens play a powerful role in such an example. They are transported via a mobile coop from pasture to pasture, grow bed to grow bed, all for the purpose of being a chicken. They scratch, peck, poop and drop feathers as they go… knowing nothing more than being true to their unique individuality. As a Permaculturist, you see that the chicken is performing many tasks that are benefiting all aspects of the farm.
The scratching is a wonderful way to disrupt weed growth and expose root systems for an afternoon snack. Insect larvae and bug eggs don’t stand a chance, as the poultry peck them from their secured covering in the grass and mulch. The cattle and goats appreciate this effort, as pest cycles are broken and skin & eye irritations are kept to a minimum throughout the seasons. Though they can’t voice it, the plants, trees and veggies sure do show their appreciation. Strong, healthy growth is the sign of a healthy soil profile, complete with proper nutrient content and well timed fertilization. Poop and nitrogen rich feathers go a long way to improving the foundation for our food producing forests and garden beds.
The design and transport of the poultry flock has been a blessing with the build out of our mobile chicken coop. Complete with roosting bars, laying boxes, multiple access doors, adequate ventilation, predator protection and overall nighttime comfort, the mobile chicken coop has fit our expansive farm property needs. By simply hooking up the coop to an ATV, tractor or truck, this home on wheels can be transported to all parts of the farm. From there, the chickens are released each morning onto new ground to work-over, dine and ultimately heal the land for the benefit of all creatures, great and small, that call ABC acres home.
