In this episode of the Modern Homesteading Podcast, Harold and Rachel discuss the many uses for chickens on the homestead through the permaculture concept of function stacking. Hint… They aren’t just good for eggs and meat, chickens are the ultimate homestead helpers.
The Modern Homesteading Podcast, Episode 260 – October 14, 2024
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Function Stacking With Chickens
Chickens are one of the best animals you can add to a homestead. They aren’t just for laying eggs—they’re like little workers, ready to help you in so many ways. If you’re interested in permaculture or just making the most out of what you’ve got, chickens are a game-changer. Let’s dive into all the amazing ways chickens can benefit your homestead.
Egg Production
Let’s start with the most obvious: eggs! Chickens give us delicious, nutritious eggs almost every day. Eggs are not just tasty, but they’re also packed with protein and vitamins. If you’re lucky enough to have farm-raised eggs, you’ll notice they’re often darker and richer than store-bought ones. That’s because homestead chickens eat more than just chicken feed—they munch on bugs, grass, and garden scraps, which make their eggs healthier. Plus, there’s something special about collecting eggs straight from your backyard.
Meat and Bone Benefits
Some chicken breeds are also great for meat. You can raise dual-purpose chickens that give you eggs and provide a good amount of meat. After you’ve processed a chicken, you can also use the bones to make a nutrient-rich broth. Homemade chicken broth is great for gut health, and it’s packed with amino acids, collagen, and minerals. It’s one of the healthiest things you can make—perfect for soups, especially during the colder months.
Feathers for Compost and Crafts
Chickens give us more than just eggs and meat. When you process a chicken, you’re left with feathers, and those can be super handy. You can toss feathers into your compost to add nitrogen, helping your compost break down even better. Or if you’re into crafts, you can use those pretty feathers for art projects like dreamcatchers, wreaths, or even feather earrings. Chickens are stylish little creatures!
Chickens as Garden Helpers
One of my favorite things about chickens is how much they love to work. They are great for cleaning up garden beds. Chickens will happily till and aerate the soil for you. They eat weeds, weed seeds, and even garden pests. Just put them in a garden bed at the end of the season, and they’ll prepare it perfectly for next year. They’ll also fertilize the soil while they’re at it—talk about a win-win situation!
- Damerow, Gail (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 424 Pages – 12/26/2017 (Publication Date) – Storey Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Food Waste Recyclers
Chickens love to eat kitchen scraps, which means less food waste for you. Instead of throwing away veggie peelings, stale bread, or other leftovers, you can give them to your chickens. They’ll turn those scraps into eggs and fertilizer for your garden. It’s such a simple way to reduce waste while giving your chickens a healthy variety in their diet.
Chicken Compost Turners
Chickens are also excellent at helping with your compost pile. If you put a compost pile in their area, they’ll scratch, turn, and aerate it for you while adding their own manure. This makes the compost break down faster and become richer in nutrients. All you have to do is occasionally pile it up again, and the chickens do the rest of the work.
Natural Fertilizer Producers
Chicken manure is one of the best fertilizers you can get for your garden. It’s rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—everything your plants need to thrive. Just be sure to compost it first, as it can be too “hot” (strong) for plants right away. With a bit of composting, you’ll have some of the best natural fertilizer you could ask for.
Pest Control Pros
Chickens love bugs! If you’ve got a pest problem, chickens can help. They’ll scratch around, eating insects, slugs, mice, and even small snakes. If you’re running chickens in your orchard or garden, they’ll help keep the pest population down, which means healthier plants and trees. This also helps reduce the number of parasites and pests that might affect other animals on the homestead.
Orchard Integration and Silvopasture
Chickens are incredibly effective in orchard systems and silvopasture setups. In an orchard, chickens can be more effective than insecticides when it comes to pest management. They act as a clean-up crew for fallen fruit, eating bugs and reducing pest populations that can otherwise damage trees and fruit.
Chickens also help with weed management by eating weeds and keeping the area around the trees clean. As they scratch through the fallen leaves and fruit, they help spread fertility, distributing nutrients evenly throughout the orchard. Their droppings provide excellent natural fertilizer, which helps promote healthy tree growth and fruit production.
By integrating chickens into your orchard, you can reduce the need for chemicals and labor while benefiting from their natural behaviors to improve your orchard’s health.
- Gabriel, Steve (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages – 06/14/2018 (Publication Date) – Chelsea Green Publishing (Publisher)
Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Livestock Parasite Control
Chickens are also fantastic for livestock parasite control. In a rotational grazing system, chickens can be moved into a pasture after larger animals like cows or goats. They will scratch through the manure, eating eggs, grubs, and larvae, helping to control parasites that can affect livestock.
This helps break the parasite life cycle and keeps your larger animals healthier. Plus, as they scratch and peck, chickens spread out the manure, distributing fertility more evenly across the pasture. This natural method of parasite control is a perfect example of function stacking in permaculture, where multiple benefits come from a single action.
Greenhouse Heaters
This one might surprise you: chickens can help heat a greenhouse! Chickens give off a bit of body heat, and if you set up a small coop inside a greenhouse, their warmth can help keep your plants from freezing during those cold winter nights. It’s a pretty creative way to save on heating costs while keeping the chickens warm and happy too.
Mental Health Boosters
Chickens aren’t just hardworking helpers—they’re also great for your mental health. Chickens can be pretty funny to watch, whether they’re chasing bugs or dust-bathing in the dirt. If you’ve got kids, they’ll probably love spending time with the chickens. And let’s not forget that calming sound of a rooster crowing or the soft clucking of hens—it just makes a homestead feel complete.
The Perfect Homestead Animal
Chickens are truly a force multiplier on a homestead. They give you eggs, meat, and fertilizer. They reduce waste, help with pest control, and make composting easier. They’re fun to watch, and they’re helpful in the garden. If you’re thinking about adding an animal to your homestead, chickens should be at the top of your list.
Consider Function Stacking With Chickens
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been homesteading for years, chickens are the ultimate addition to any homestead. They’re affordable, easy to care for, and they provide so many benefits beyond just eggs and meat. If you’re ready to take the leap, start with a small flock and see how much they can do for you. Trust me, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them!
Links Mentioned In The Podcast
- Eggshells for Calcium Supplements: https://www.rewilderlife.com/tag/egg-shells/
- Closed Loop Soil Fertility With Guest Nigel Palmer: https://redemptionpermaculture.com/closed-loop-soil-fertility-with-guest-nigel-palmer/
- Bone Broth and Lead Contamination: A Very Flawed Study in Medical Hypotheses: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/bone-broth-and-lead-contamination-a-very-flawed-study-in-medical-hypotheses/#gsc.tab=0
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