Sustainable Practices for Raising Backyard Chickens

In today’s world, it’s becoming increasingly important to live sustainably. As someone raising a backyard flock, then, you will want to find ways to raise your backyard chickens sustainably. But how can you do that? Here, we provide some sustainable practices you can use for raising backyard chickens.

Why Use Sustainable Practices?

Before we get started on actual sustainable practices, it’s important to discuss why you should consider sustainable practices in the first place.

Sustainable practices help reduce waste. By reducing waste, you’re not only helping the environment, but you’re also helping your wallet. Sustainable practices help lower costs on raising your backyard chickens simply because you’re using less resources. And by using fewer resources, you’re reducing your overall carbon footprint.

Sustainable Practices

Thankfully, raising your backyard chickens sustainably is easier than you think. Here are some of our best practices:

Build a Chicken Coop from Recycled Materials

Did you know your actual chicken coop can be made sustainably? If you make it out of recycled materials, you can reduce the cost it takes to build it. You can do so buy making it out of recycled wood for the walls, and scraps of tin for the roof. While you will have to buy the screws, nails, and some other materials, almost 99% of your coop can be made from recycled materials. You can read about one example here.

Provide Eco-Friendly Feed

When picking the right feed for your chicken, consider those sourced from organically raised grains. These grains do not contribute to fertilizer runoff and herbicides that leach into the groundwater.

You may even be able to make your own eco-friendly feed! If you have the space, you can grow your own grain, but even if you don’t have the room, you can still make your own feed. Just make it with any of the following ingredients:

• Comfrey
• Alfalfa
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkins and winter squash
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Vetch
• Zucchini
• Weeds
• Yellow Crookneck Squash

Compost the Bedding and Manure

Did you know that your scraps can be turned into compost? Chicken manure can be turned into fertilizer for your garden or farm (perhaps the very same field that’s making your eco-friendly feed). Old bedding can also be turned into compost for your lawn, landscaping, and garden.

For more tips on how to raise your chickens, or to start your first backyard flock, look through our website or contact Chickens for Backyards today!