At the Edible Forest, we’re always seeking innovative approaches to combine sustainable practices with efficient gardening. One of our most recent initiatives is the implementation of a chicken tractor. It’s an ingenious way of making the most of our chicken runs and vegetable plots. Here’s an overview of our process and the benefits we’re reaping from this sustainable gardening strategy.
Introducing the Chicken Tractor
Above our main chicken coop, we have designed three gated chicken runs. These serve dual purposes: providing a safe and secure area for our chickens to roam and also serving as our new vegetable beds.
Our method is simple yet effective: we plant our market-style vegetables in these runs in succession, ensuring one remains fallow and accessible for the chickens. This rotating system gives the chickens plenty of activities as they scratch around, consume leftover vegetables, eliminate pests, and naturally weed the area.
The Benefits of a Chicken Tractor
This sustainable approach to gardening has been fruitful for us in several ways. Here are a few highlights:
Increased Vegetable Production: We’ve amplified our growing space by planting vegetables in the chicken runs, yielding larger quantities of fresh produce.
Enriched Soil: The chickens’ scratching and foraging actions help to till and aerate the soil, improving its quality over time. Natural fertilisation from their droppings also enhances the nutrient content of the soil, boosting our vegetable growth.
Natural Pest Control: Chickens are excellent at pest control. Their fondness for bugs and pests provides a natural, chemical-free way to keep these garden nuisances in check.
Happy Chickens: Last but not least, the chickens themselves benefit significantly from this arrangement. The various tasks they get to do keeps them active and engaged, contributing to their overall wellbeing.
Our chicken tractor project epitomises the essence of permaculture: using innovative design and a holistic approach to create a productive and sustainable garden. By integrating our chicken runs with vegetable planting, we’re maximising resources, enhancing productivity, and promoting a healthier, more natural lifestyle for our chickens.
So, if you’re looking for an innovative and sustainable way to boost your garden’s productivity while keeping your chickens busy and happy, why not consider building a chicken tractor? Remember, every step towards sustainability makes a difference, no matter how small it seems. Happy gardening!
