Natural Pest Control
Chickens have a built-in love for bugs, and they’ll happily work overtime to keep your garden pest-free. Grasshoppers, beetles, ticks, slugs—your flock sees them as a tasty treat. Letting your chickens forage in controlled sections of your garden can drastically cut down on harmful insect populations, reducing your need for chemical sprays. Just be sure to keep them away from young seedlings—they won’t know the difference between a weed and your prized lettuce!
Pro tip: Use portable fencing or a chicken tractor to guide where your birds forage.
Fertilization the Natural Way
Chicken manure is packed with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—three essential nutrients your garden soil craves. These nutrients help plants grow strong and healthy, boosting yields and improving flavor. However, fresh chicken manure is too “hot” and can burn plants, so it’s best to compost it first. A few months in the compost pile will mellow it out, creating rich, dark fertilizer that’s perfect for garden beds.
Pro tip: Layer chicken bedding (straw or wood shavings) with food scraps in your compost pile for balanced, nutrient-rich compost.
Soil Aeration With Every Scratch
One of a chicken’s favorite pastimes is scratching at the ground in search of tasty morsels. This natural behavior helps break up compacted soil, improve water absorption, and mix organic matter into the earth. Essentially, they’re doing the work of a garden tiller—only quieter and a lot cuter.
Pro tip: Let your flock into your garden during the off-season or before planting to loosen soil without harming crops.
Chickens & Gardens – A Perfect Pair
By combining pest control, nutrient cycling, and natural tilling, chickens can help you grow healthier plants with less effort. Plus, you get the bonus of farm-fresh eggs and endless entertainment.
With a little planning and a few barriers to protect delicate crops, your chickens can become valuable gardening partners. After all, they’ve been helping humans cultivate food for centuries—it’s just in their nature.
