How Green Are Chickens

With the movement toward cleaning up our environment and going green the question, “How Green Are Chickens?”, would seem to be one that many people have asked themselves, or thought about in some way.

Chickens if I understand green, are probably as green as it gets. They don’t chew cuds so they should produce less methane that is ruining the environment. That is if what I read about cud chewing animals is correct.

A chicken eats just about anything. I consider them excellent as a garbage disposal. No longer do you need to throw out your slightly spoiled cheese, meats, or any type of foods that get left in the refrigerator for an excessive period.

Leftovers from the table are generally considered a treat by your chickens. This is one of the features I like best about a small flock of chickens. There is no directly wasted food. This does exclude some things such as citrus peels and I have noticed that I have never had chickens that will eat carrots. I mean the cooked ones from the table, not raw. They do, however scratch continuously so if you toss them into a dirt pen or exercise area, they will sort of grind them into the soil. This just composts them. I don’t give them bones, citrus, banana, or things of this nature but it takes a very short time to learn what they will actually consume.

It is best to remember that chickens don’t like new things. This simply means that one shouldn’t be discouraged if chickens don’t eat a certain item. I have found that they sometimes do need a short time to learn to eat things from the table. I don’t put leftovers from the table in a trough, but I do put them in the pen, and my reason is that if they don’t eat it, they will bury it by their constant scratching. I have never experienced a problem as generally there will be at least one adventurous chicken that will take a taste of just about anything, then the others will join in.

This saves on the amount of grain needed to support your small flock. It is what I consider, “recycling” in that I get eggs and meat from food that would be wasted.

The droppings are awesome for fertilizer or they make a base for your compost pile. It can be somewhat strong so care must be used when applying it to your garden, but it will greatly increase the fertility of the soil.

If you eat your chickens, the feathers, entrails, and everything of that nature can just be composted.

Overall, a chicken can be raised, eaten, and disposed of and will not add to the burden of waste that humans must take dispose of creating some sort of waste center. All waste from chickens can be taken care of on your own property with no health hazards or the like with the exception of possibly a half dozen on a city lot, not large enough for a compost pile.

I consider the raising of chickens something that is just about as green as things can get.

Tags: compost, droppings, How Green Are Chickens, manure