3 ms·
It is often said that having chicken in the garden will decrease the tick population in that area. I personally am not convinced that this is due to the chicken
by sva_ 3y ago
It is often said that having chicken in the garden will decrease the tick population in that area. I personally am not convinced that this is due to the chicken eating them though - it is more likely due to the fact that the garden will be fenced keeping wild animals away (who spread them.) Chicken are also very territorial, so that adds to it.
- bell-cot 3y agoGuess: That will depend on the breed of chicken. "Optimized" modern breeds (high weight/low cost/fast-to-market) may be lacking in aptitudes (such as bug eating) which industrial-scale agriculture doesn't value.
- gexla 3y agoBut these chickens (such as broilers) are "in the house" rather than "in the garden." It may be worth having free range chickens for pest control and other purposes.
- InSteady 3y agoNah, I've seen these optimized breeds wader around, they will scratch and peck their outdoor enclosures nearly bare looking for bugs to eat. They are still chickens at the end of the day, as long as they are healthy enough to move around. It's kind of like thinking modern breeds of cow would lose the ability to eat grass or pigs to forage. That stuff is hard-wired pretty deep because it is at the very core of survival.
- InSteady 3y agoChickens will eat insects voraciously if given the opportunity. They are programmed to wander around all day stabbing their beaks at anything that moves or looks like it might be able to move.