permaculture

[Jacque Greenleaf <jacque@book-woman.net>]

Hi Paul, your article is shaping up nicely.

I've only had one season of raising chickens, in an ad hoc coop/run/ 
free range situation, and I've come to the same conclusion you have.  
They need protection because we put energy into them for our own  
purposes, and we expect to get a return on that energy. (The single  
most important thing I've heard a permaculturist say is that it is all  
about closing your energy loops.) But allowing them to be filthy and/ 
or crowded is counterproductive and inhumane. I am at a loss as to why  
the people who disagree with you are so vehement about it. It's not as  
if there is only one decent way to raise chickens, and your experience  
is your experience, how can it be erroneous? Clearly, if you are  
keeping two laying hens on an apartment balcony, you are not going to  
use any of Joel Salatin's methods no matter how much they appeal to you.

I hope you will eventually include some specific forage species  
recommendations. If you know anything about forage species that will  
maximize omega-3 in the eggs, I'd love to hear that. And is there a  
difference between winter and summer foraging that will come into play  
in managing a paddock system?

Again, thanks for writing this and allowing us to participate.




"Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies  
hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness  
in a descending spiral of destruction....The chain reaction of evil --  
hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we  
shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." -- Dr. Martin  
Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)



On Aug 14, 2009, at 2:25 PM, paul wheaton wrote:

> I have added a lot to my article "concerns about the way most people
> raise chickens".  I've polished a lot of the article and I've added a
> significant section on predators.
>
> I have received a LOT of feedback on the article.  Including some
> rather harsh words!  I think I struck a nerve!
>
> You can find the latest version, along with the harsh words at
> http://www.richsoil.com/chickens.jsp
>
> I could still use some pictures for the article!  Details at
> http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/1958_0
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 10:02 AM, paul wheaton<paul@richsoil.com>  
> wrote:
> > For years I've tried to tell people about stuff that I think is a bit
> > of a better way to raise chickens. But it all comes out sounding like
> > crazy talk. So for the last few weeks I've been trying to write it as
> > one gob that gets the point across. I think this now gets the point
> > across!
> >
> > http://www.richsoil.com/chickens.jsp
> >
> > Please tell me what you think!
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