Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
These chickens are so friendly they eat out of your hand.
For the purposes of a mini-farm occupying half an acre or
less, cows, goats, and similar livestock will place too high a
demand on the natural resources of such a small space and
will end up costing more than the value of the food they
provide. In such small spaces, the greatest practical benefit
can be derived from chickens, guineas, some species of
ducks, and aquaculture. Rabbits are also a possibility, but
remember that children (and adults!) can get attached to them
easily. But chickens, overall, are the most cost-effective
choice on a small lot.
Overview
Chickens are foragers that will eat grass, weeds, insects,
acorns, and many other things they happen to run across.
They will virtually eliminate grasshoppers, slugs, and other
pests in the yard, thus keeping them away from the garden.
Many cover crops like alfalfa, vetch, and soybeans are
delicacies for birds and since cover crops are recommended to
be grown anyway, a small flock of 10 or 20 birds can be
raised with minimal feed expenditures over the growing
season.
Don't expect to get rich in the chicken and egg business
because you would be competing at the wholesale level in a
commodity market, so it's unlikely to be a direct money
maker. But it is feasible to produce meat and eggs for yourself
at costs that significantly undercut those of the supermarket
while selling the odd dozen to friends and coworkers. On our
own farm, the eggs we sell completely liquidate the cost of
