Reference Document Permaculture Report 131998 98121 5

Chicken systems

Chickens are incredible biological resources: they scratch, they add and distribute
manure, they convert scraps into eggs and meat and they are routine based creatures.
We propose a number of chicken systems on the site following best Agricultural
Practices:

Large chicken system following the cows
We propose a large mobile chicken tractor following the cows in the paddocks to spread
cow manure. The mobile chicken tractor will be inside a moveable electric mesh fence.
The chickens can be egg layers and we recommend to add roosters (1 per 7-8 chickens)
in order to ensure succession. Suggested stocking rate is 50 chickens per acre as per
“Poultry Breeding and Management” by professor James Dryden (written in 1916, pre-
dates industrial agricultural methods, and may be the most scienti cally grounded book
for the pastured poultry farmer). Other systems like Joel Salatin’s rotational grazing
system recommend up to 500 chickens per acre, but we suggest to start with 50 per acre
and to build the ock if deemed appropriate and bene cial to the land.
Meat chickens as well as egg layers can be run as part of this system. Meat chickens
need less exercise than egg layers and are able to be run in a smaller area.

Chicken system above the Syntropic Market Garden
A smaller Integrated Chicken Compost System can function as an e ective compost
creator above the Syntropic Market Garden. There will be no roosters so as to prevent
sound pollution.

Chicken tractors following the Pig Tractors
We recommend smaller chicken tractors following any pig tractors in order to decrease
the time of active pathogens after pig activity. These chickens can be egg layers without
any roosters so as to prevent any sound pollution.
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