Five Ways Keeping Chickens Reduces Your Carbon Footprint

Chickens are a carbon-negative pet. That's right, they can actually reduce the amount of CO2 your household puts out. Their waste is all entirely reusable, and they can even recycle your waste! Yes, their feed does have to be transported, unless you make your own, and the packaging has to be disposed of. Yet, with all of the environmental benefits they provide, it effectively zeros out their environmental impact while also reducing yours. That is carbon-negative. Plus, you can choose to buy feed that uses recyclable paper packaging such as Scratch and Peck or Grubbly Farms.

1. Reduce food waste

This is HUGE. Did you know it can take up to 25 years for just one head of lettuce to decompose in a landfill? You can bet a flock of chickens will consume that head of lettuce in seconds, and turn it into fresh eggs. Chickens can consume almost any scraps from your kitchen that aren’t molded. Overripe fruits, stale crackers, leftover mashed potatoes, wilting lettuces, and so much more! They are the ultimate food recyclers, eliminating tons of greenhouse gasses from food waste. Even if you aren’t interested in eggs, having chickens for the sheer purpose of reducing food waste is more than enough reason!

According to the EPA, food waste is the single most common landfilled material incinerated in the U.S. It fills 22-24% of landfilled and combusted municipal solid waste. In fact, food waste generates more greenhouse gasses than the airline industry, accounting for about 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. That, to say the least, is quite shocking.

It is so easy to toss your refrigerator clean outs, scraps from cooking and leftovers from the dinner table out to your hens instead of contributing to this monstrosity of waste.

A study was conducted at West Chester University in Pennsylvania which found that if each chicken consumes 1.6 pounds of food scraps per week, a flock of just four would recycle 332.8 pounds of food scraps per year. 332.8 pounds is about the average the amount of food wasted by each person in the U.S. per year. This means that if there were four chickens for each person in the U.S., we would effectively eliminate food waste entirely.

I realize it's not realistic for every person to have four chickens, none the less, this is an incredible discovery. Imagine what a big difference if would make if just HALF the households with backyards began keeping chickens.

2. Free fertilizer and compost

Chicken manure and bedding make an excellent fertilizer. In fact, you’ll find chicken manure for sale for a pretty penny at your local garden center. If you have your own chickens, that’s free fertilizer! Just be careful not to overdo it as it is extremely rich in nitrogen and sensitive plants can get nitrogen burn. If you use a natural and compostable bedding like wood shavings or hemp bedding, that will also break down into a nice compost.

3. Natural insect control

Skip the pesticides and insect repellants. Let your chickens free range in your garden area and take care of the bugs for you. Just be sure to keep them clear of plants that are toxic for them. These include:

• Nightshades (not the fruit but the leaves)

  • Potatoes

  • Tomatoes

  • Eggplant

  • Peppers

  • Goji Berry

  • Gooseberry

• Daffodils

• Azaleas

• Rhododendron

• Pole beans

• Rhubarb

In my experience, chickens are mostly aware of which plants they should and should not eat. They have excellent instincts. However, it’s best to take precautions and put a barrier around these plants while your chickens are in your garden.

4. Recycle lawn clippings and weeds

Yard waste creates an immense amount of greenhouse gasses at the landfill. If you have chickens, there is no need to toss away your trimmings and weeds. They absolutely love going through a pile of yard waste. It keeps them busy, provides a nutritious snack and they love to find all sorts of bugs in it.

5. The egg less traveled - less fuel, less packaging

The average egg travels over 300 miles before it reaches your breakfast table. When you have your own eggs, you are effectively eliminating a significant amount of the fuel and packaging materials required for transporting and selling eggs. The less food travels, the better for the planet.

If you don't have chickens yet, I hope this will inspire you to consider opening your heart and your yard to these lovely creatures. They truly are a key component to reducing our household carbon footprints. Not to mention all the entertainment they provide and the fresh eggs! Find the 5 things you need to start keeping chickens here.