Chickens in the Barn

The chickens are used for a special purpose: natural bug control. They scratch up the manure to eat bugs, which in turn keeps the manure dry, which in turn, discourages flies from laying eggs. The chickens also eat up spilled rabbit feed and supply us with daily eggs. We haven't bought "store eggs" in over 2 years. My flock has been reduced to 1 half-blind-half-naked red Frizzle hen, a blue Silkie hen, and a red Frizzle chick.

We loved the green and brown large eggs the Americanas were giving us but they recently learned a new vice that got them evicted. The hens learned to watch for kindling does and then would jump and peck at the mommas' butts through the cage bottoms. I tried to patrol this but missed an early baby born on the wire. I found it dead with holes pecked in it from the cage bottom. Ooooh! If you've heard my opossum story, then you can imagine how mad I was at those chickens! Those "Veloceraptors" were out of my barn that very night!