Chickens Permaculture Design The Mac Curdy Farm perspective

Chickens & Permaculture Design The Mac. Curdy Farm perspective

Permaculture Design Principles

Chickens Questions to Consider: 1. Breed: Heritage or Commercial layer? 2. Eggs, Meat, Both? Companion animals? 3. Housing: Portable? Fixed? Free Range? 4. Time? Can you commit? 5. Ethics: Animal welfare

Our Heritage Breeds • • • Plymouth Barred Rocks New Hampshire Reds Black Australorps Coming soon: Delaware Naturally broody - Silkies • Why select heritage breeds? 1. Dual purpose: Eggs and meat. (Maximize) 2. Exhibit Species Specific behavior (i. e. , reproduce, mother, show defense mechanisms) 3. Aesthetically pleasing 4. Generally not flighty and hens are docile around children. 5. Hardiness (Cold vs. heat)

Chicken Housing Portable Fixed • Chicken Tractor aka. Pastured Poultry Pen • Poultry Ark • Egg-mobile • Mobile A-frame or hoop frame • Barns • Coops • Brooders A definite consideration for our Winter climate in the absence of a shed or garage.

Housing Considerations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Sunlight Ventilation Roosting Space Nesting Space Living Space Requirements 6. Anti-predation 7. Bio-security

Chicken Feed Commercial Natural Availability • Locally – Roger Boudreau 789 -3660 (Purina Feeds) • Bulk/Single Bag – Miramichi Feeds 773 -3070 • Bulk/Single Bag – Bathurst Agricultural society 548 -8730 1. GRUB! (worms, beetles, larva, etc. ) 2. Local perennials (i. e. , dandelions, clover, etc. ) 3. Table scraps (meat or vegetable matter) 4. Offal (Not practiced on Mac. Curdy Farm) 5. Compost Remember: Chickens are carnivores

BBC: The Private Life of Chickens https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=1 c 06 x. OF 4 u Q 8 Covers issues such as learning, species specific behaviors, diet, defense against predation, rescue chickens, etc.

Pastured Poultry Pens – “The Triple P” • Design unique to Mac. Curdy Farm • Multi-purpose • Moved daily and requires a dolly or slides to move due to weight. • Symbiosis • Space/bird = 2 sq. ft. /bird.

Chicken Welfare Checklist Species Specific Behavior Housing – overcrowding Defense against predation Nutritional Requirements Duty of Care Water Proper Air circulation Temperature Removal of injured, stressed, or bullied birds. q Grit pan q Other – dust bath (diatomaceous earth or wood ashes), chicken toys, etc. q q q q q 5 Freedoms of Animal Welfare • • • from hunger and thirst - animals must have access to fresh water and a diet which will maintain health and vigour from discomfort - an appropriate environment should be provided, including shelter and a comfortable resting area from pain, injury or disease - you must ensure the prevention of illnesses, or rapid diagnosis and treatment to express normal behaviour - sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind should all be provided from fear and distress - you must provide conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering

Scratching your way into Permaculture Chicken Integration Provisions • Garden tillers – raspberry drills, pumpkin drills, etc. • Manure spreaders • Pest eaters – drops in orchards • Compost mixers • Smile eliciters • Meat and eggs for human consumption • Hatching eggs for incubation • Feathers for flymakers (gray especially) • Alarm clocks (help keep us on a day/night cycle) • Planter bed preparation

Permaculture Principles at work • #1 – Observe and Interact • #2 – Catch and Store energy • #3 – Obtain a yield • #4 – Apply Selfregulation and accept feedback • #6 – Produce no waste • #8 – Integrate rather than segregate • #9 – Use small and slow solutions • #10 – Use and value diversity • #11 – Use edges and value the marginal

“Work with rather than against nature” – Bill Mollison Questions? ? ? Resources/Links http: //maccurdyfarm. com http: //www. backyardchickens. com (username: muircheartaigh) http: //www. permacultureeden. com (livestock integration into the food forest) http: //www. small-farm-permaculture-andsustainable-living. com/chicken-poweredpermaculture-design. html http: //abundantpermaculture. com http: //www. polyfacefarms. com/ http: //www. fourseasonfarm. com/

Open Invitation Mac. Curdy Farm Visits We promote agricultural education. We pride ourselves on transparency We look forward to fostering communication We want to develop a sense of community around farming. Walk-throughs are available. Call or text ahead to schedule a meeting time, 685 -7741 or 684 -2297 or email at justin. maccurdy@live. ca