Are ducks and chickens in my garden useful?

Question

OK so I have to knuckle down and save some money because my son thinks he wants to be an Architect... And I have pulled out all the lawn and I have planted seasonal fruit trees, nut trees and assorted berries and a few cabbages, some spinach and onions, some herbs, five grape vines and some passionfruit vines and a mango tree... and I have a water harvesting system and I have installed solar panels that collect solar energy and I sell it back to the local power authority and buy power from them as I need it. I have also heavily insulated all my walls and roof, double glazed my windows, bricked up windows that interfere with my energy efficiency, I've installed draft stoppers and sealed windows and doors and made air locks. I have installed a solar heated swimming pool on my roof for additional thermal insulation.

I was just thinking that some hens and some ducks would be useful around the garden. Can you keep them in the city? What do you think? Can you kill em and eat em?

Answer 1

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ar9jPJIVV7MtwGwN7Zuqn1nsy6IX?qid=20070528180353AAxQuAm

normal chickens and normal ducks will destroy your garden
the chickens scratch and all the upcoming little plant litelary
hit the dust

Duck work like ninature ploughs doing maximum damage ,especially if the ground is moist ,they work with their beaks like hoes

Hoever Ducks contained in a pond provide a lot of fish food

Chickens that are contained can be used to clear land in a chicken tractor (a moveble corral ) other wise should be in a lagre fixed enclosure away from the vegies ,but above them in elevation ,and with land scaping you can lead the rain water into the veggie patch so that the chickens work at least as fretilizing agents ,every time it rains ,

Ok
there are many animals that can be used walking about free amongst you garden with out damage and a lot of benefit such as pest control and fertilization

the best are ,Chooks (chicckens with feathers on their feet,Partridge ,Guinny fowel ,My Favorite Silkeys and Bantam chickens ,these are small chickens that run about and chase anything that moves ,they go all over the garden fretilize and catch 70 % of all garden pests that walk jump or land

there is also a miniature white duck which does not do a lot of damage and they are the top expert in getting rid of snails their favorit food .

Breed these little ducks and chickens and sell them to other gardeners everybody that has them is delighted with the results

the danger to them is cats and other predators and they need a dormitory to sleep in a closed chicken house with staggered pols to roost on (staggered like a staircase so thy dont poop on each others head )
,everyday they will return in the late afternoon ,
some body must close the door after them ,

And in the morning they will rouse you to open the door so that they can go to work .

And all i can say is that i am impressed with all you have done so far

buy the The Permaculture designers manual by Bill Mollison,which cost about 40 dollars.
and is the best all round book you can get,on Environmental design,.(tagiari publishing, [e-mail])

you will find some good ideas in there with drawings and instructions

think of everything that looks like a pole (trees ,fence posts ,fencing wire )as structures to be utilized for growing something on such as beans tomatoes vines etc,
Make all your path ways first so that you have a design and make the high and dry so that they drain to the sides this will result in you plots becoming like sunken bokes ,easy to mulch and retaining a lot of himidity
road high and dry
plots low and wet

nice structure easy and quick to put up for tomatoe and beans are tipis without material just the posts with cross bars

Ooops i am deviating again

Answer 2

Fantastic yes you can keep them in the city, with a little care and attention. However, it is probably best to eat the Cockerels (as they soon multiply) to prevent early morning alarm calls. Or have just laying hens.

In Permaculture we often use a chicken tractor. Posh name for a large cage that you put over a peice of land you want to be cleared. The chickens do all the weeding for you, eat pests and fertilize the soil for you too. All you have to do is move the cage along to the next section for them to weed. Then throw down some newspapers, cover in some straw or other mulch, weighting it down is a good idea. NO DIGGING. NO TIME WASTING. Then leave it. We put the chicken tractor (cage) back on the mulched site prior to planting pumpkins and squash.

Chickens can be a hassle in a new garden. Once your garden is flourishing we never have a problem with them scratching. There is more than enough food, seeds, insects etc for them. Guinea fowl are amazing - to let you know someone is coming, but too noisy for inner city gardens and allotments. Ducks are best left until the garden is really well established, they like to paddle and can eat for Europe. Fantastic fun for the children though.

Good luck with your garden.

Answer 3

Sounds like you are pursuing being more independent. Good for you. My wife and I are working towards getting there too.

Different cities have different codes for animals. You may be able to have some chickens or ducks, but you may not. You will have to check with your city.
One breed of duck that may work for you if you do not have room for a pond is the muscovy duck. They are originally from South America (and can be found in Mexico and Southern US today) and are a tree based duck, not water based. They do not require a pond. Muscovies also are great for eating, having some of the best flavor and texture of any bird. They are not very good egg layers, though. Another plus to these birds is that they are very quiet. They do not make the noise other breeds do.
If you get hens, do not get a rooster (they are noisy). On average, you can expect an egg every other day from most of the egg laying breeds of chickens.
Chickens can be good for the garden, but not the ducks, They are messier and will wreck a bit more havoc.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Well, I used to free range chickens and believe they did help in keeping insect pests out of my garden. I used to also sell eggs. Nothing better than a farm raised egg. Store boughts are jokes beside them. I also butchered my own chickens for a while, but stopped as it was so much work, and you can buy them cheap at store.
Planted a huge garden for years, and then went to small space gardening. Put lot of food in the freezer every year.
Also have fruit trees that I enjoy. I do live in the city limits, but am on the outskirts, but I know of several people who keep a few chickens in the city. I guess if you have close neighbors, you may not want any roosters. I say go for it.

Answer 5

If you do decide to have chickens, just claim them as pets. The city will never know unless you tell them you are going to eat them. I have chickens within the city limits and i am claiming them as pets. The offspring are going to be eaten and so well the eggs. Not by me tough, I can't see myself doing that. My father is the one who was raised on a farm. LOL! Good Luck! It will say some money on the eggs. Chickens can keep some of the pest of your garden.

Answer 6

Wow!! this all sound really good! but a swimming pool on your roof????? you must have a really STRONG roof.......
chickens are terrific, I have them, ducks can wreck your garden. they need a pond.
You will have to keep seedlings, vegetables and anything you don't want dug up, fenced off from your chickens though.
But think of the bonuses, lovely fresh chemical free eggs! Just be aware that chickens bring rats, no matter how clean they are, they come for the seed etc.....
and depending on where you are, foxes love chickens too.......
As for killing them and eating them, if you want to do that, do NOT, under ANY circumstances, give them names, or talk to them, or they will live in your garden till they die of old age......ask me how I know that!! LOL

Answer 7

sounds like you obviously are either being sarcastic, or are...something offensive that i won't say.

BTW chickens work fine for reducing weeds, if you put them on the garden space prior to planting, to clean up the weed seeds, and removing them from your garden when you want to plant.

Answer 8

wow....i think ur a little nutty for the environment....