Chickens
Background
Pest control and soil fertility are two very pressing issues in the world of sustainable agriculture, not to mention food scarcity on local and global levels. Chickens play a crucial role in sustainable agriculture by providing natural pest control, soil fertilization, and egg production.
The integration of chickens into sustainable agriculture practices presents a strategic opportunity to enhance systemic capacity and address pressing issues in food production, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. This project will expand on the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating chickens into the Grand Valley State University Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP). By researching and exploring models at other farms and universities, our project aims to propose a plan for implementation at GVSU SAP that aligns with the values of the triple bottom line model.
Locally
The GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project provides students with opportunities to engage with and help develop more holistic food systems and relationships with the food they consume: interactions with living members of these food systems could provide students with opportunities to expand their studies into sustainable husbandry, animal management, and even provide opportunities for biology and pre-veterinarian students to engage with practical applications of their fields of study.
Nationally
Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the U.S., making up almost 75% of deaths in 2021. That being said, studies show that free-range eggs have less cholesterol than conventionally-farmed eggs (English). They also contain double the vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, supporting home-grown poultry gives consumers the power to avoid American industrial farms that often employ inhumane cultivation practices.
Globally
The global demand for sustainable food production is increasing, and incorporating chickens into agricultural systems can help meet this demand while reducing reliance on chemical inputs and promoting biodiversity. By incorporating chickens into agricultural practices, we can reduce the dependence of chemical use and promote adaptable ecosystems. The integration of chickens into sustainable agriculture is crucial for addressing crucial challenges such as food security, environmental degradation, and climate change. Chickens play a valuable role in sustainable food systems by providing natural pest control, nutrient cycling, and protein production.
Local SAP Implementation
Timeline
Budget
Many of the initial costs associated with starting a chicken coop can be offset by reusing materials found on campus. Chickens can consume bugs and weeds that are found around the area to supplement their diet, as well as fruit and vegetable scraps. Additionally, collaborating with local farms can help reduce costs by providing supplies such as unused equipment.
Younger hens need to replace older chickens every 2-3 years. Fresh water and feed must be continuously supplied, and coop maintenance and bedding replacements should be done every 2-3 months. The entire project will cost around $650, with a approximate monthly upkeep cost of 30 dollars.
Triple Bottom Line
People
Provides hands-on learning opportunities that promote a deeper understanding of ecological relations, and the practices of sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry.
On a local scale, creates opportunities for community engagement and outreach, such as educational workshops, farm tours, and volunteer activities.
Contributes to food security by providing a sustainable source of protein-rich eggs for consumption by the community, students, faculty, and staff at the GVSU SAP. This enhances the practice of food self-sufficiency within the campus.
Planet
Chickens contribute to soil fertility through their natural fertilization process. Their droppings contain valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
They cycle nutrients by consuming organic matter and converting them into fertilizer.
Chickens are effective at controlling pests such as insects and unwanted plant seeds by foraging and scratching in the soil, therefore reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
Chickens enhance biodiversity by cycling nutrients through feed, manure, and soil, creating habitat diversity and supporting the presence of beneficial insects and microorganisms in the soil.
Profit
Can lead to cost savings by reducing the need for external inputs such as artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
The sale of eggs or meat from chickens can generate supplemental income for the GVSU SAP- four chickens can generate as many as 10 dozen eggs per month.
Chickens can efficiently utilize resources such as crop remains, kitchen scraps, and pasture vegetation, converting them into valuable products such as eggs and meat.
Success Stories
UC Davis Pastured Poultry Farm
Click here to read about UC Davis' 4.5-acre Pastured Poultry Farm and living laboratory, which features an "Eggmobile" for safe housing, an electronic fence to protect against predators, and 150 free-range foraging chickens.
Montana Poultry Farm
Click here to find out how a 35-acre Montana homestead blossomed into a successful, woman-owned poultry farm.
Merrifield Farms
Click here to learn how Canadian, Ryan Merrifield turned a small-scale poultry project into a highly efficient, free-range business.
Works Cited
Almanac, Old Farmer’s. “Raising Chickens 101: How to Get Started.” Old Farmer’s Almanac, 15 July 2022, www.almanac.com/raising-chickens-101-how-get-started.
“Apply for a Backyard Chicken Permit.” Www.grandrapidsmi.gov, www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Development-Center/Permits/Apply-for-a-Backyard-Chicken-Permit. Accessed 24 Mar. 2024.
Ellis, Ralph. “These Are the Top 10 Causes of Death in the U.S.” WebMD, 6 Oct. 2023, www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20231006/these-are-the-top-10-causes-of-death-in-the-us.
English, Marcia M. “The Chemical Composition of Free-Range and Conventionally-Farmed Eggs Available to Canadians in Rural Nova Scotia.” PeerJ, vol. 9, 4 May 2021, p. e11357, peerj.com/articles/11357/, https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11357.
loveas. “Sustainable Poultry Production.” Sustainable Poultry Production, 20 Apr. 2017, sd.appstate.edu/research-outreach/sustainable-poultry-production.
“Poultry Beginnings: Raise Your Own Backyard Chickens | Mississippi State University Extension Service.” Extension.msstate.edu, extension.msstate.edu/publications/poultry-beginnings-raise-your-own-backyard-chickens.
“Raising Chickens 101: How to Build a Chicken Coop.” Old Farmer’s Almanac, www.almanac.com/raising-chickens-101-how-build-chicken-coop.
“The Many Benefits of Backyard Chickens | Green America.” Greenamerica.org, greenamerica.org/green-living/many-benefits-backyard-chickens.