North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Naomi Counides" <naomi@oznayim.us>]

Interesting point on heavy chicken breeds.  My first impulse was banties since they would make smaller dust bowls.. But actually heavy breeds have a real advantage. 

 

Naomi

“I am a solipsistic conspiracy theorist.  I am sure I am up to something, and I will not stop until I find out what.” 

http://xkcd.com/842/  Jan 3, 2011

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From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Deb S
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 8:01 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] ducks

 

Hi Maria

 

I have had a variety of free range poultry.  The only ducks that might do some good on bugs are Muscovy.  Other types of ducks are really more interested in plant matter than bugs.  Ducks need a pool of water available at all times and ducks STINK!  They are also quite vulnerable to predators, unless housed in a fox/coon/dog proof pen.

 

Really top notch bug eaters are Guineas.  However, it is difficult to convince Guineas to stick around and not head for parts unknown.  There is a book called Guineas in the Garden, which offers good advice.  Our one experiment with Guineas started with 13 adult birds.  We kept them penned for 4 months.  When we let them loose, by the end of the week we were down to 2 birds..the others all just left.  After a month it was zero as predators took the last two (raptors).  We may try Guineas again, but from chicks which would help imprint them on "home" better. 

 

We are experimenting with chickens this year.  We have a 6 foot electric mesh fence (available from Premier fencing) that allows us to build a movable chicken yard.  We've set it up to run from the chicken pen to around some of the fruit trees.  My theory is the chickens will eat the dropped fruit and peck at any bugs on the ground as well as scratching and disturbing the soil around the trees were bugs incubate.  I've selected heavy breeds that are not very flight worthy so they are unlikely to get into the trees to get at fruit.  The manure will be a bonus for nitrogen content as with only 8 chickens in about a 30 square yard area, the manure should be well dispersed.  For safety from predators, the birds go into a pen at night.  I will let you know how that goes.

 

We also have a flock of free range geese.  LOTS of manure, but since the geese eat mostly grass when there is some, it is fairly inoffensive.  They do help keep the grass short, but don't eat bugs.  I've heard of geese that weed strawberries, but I'm pretty sure mine would EAT strawberry plants.  

 

Turkeys are generally too dumb to live.  Some of the heritage birds are okay, but unless penned and protected the predators have a feast.

 

deb

SE Ohio

 

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