LIVESTOCK NEEDS AND YIELDS ANALYSIS

ASSIGNMENTBy Erin Forbes

Backyard Homesteading

◦Aisling Meadows Farm is home to four hives of honeybees and approximately thirty assorted breeds of chickens. These animals provide our homestead with an abundance of farm fresh eggs and honey.

Livestock Needs and Yields Analysis Bees Chickens

Needs Moisture free ventilated hive, pesticide free plants as sources of pollen, water, nectar, and sunlight. Management/treatment of pests (including Varroa mite) and fungal diseases.

Shelter/chicken coop, feed, calcium supplement, water, nesting boxes, protection from predators, and continued care.

Yields Farm Fresh Honey, wax, propolis, royal jelly, and pollination of plants.

Farm Fresh Eggs, fertilizer, feathers, weed control, pest control (insects, mice, etc.).

Niche Honeybees thrive in open meadows that are in close proximity to gardens and wildflowers. They have a wide degree of tolerance for weather but beyond that, colonies become stressed. They forage when temperatures are moderate to very warm.

Chickens are very resilient animals that do well in many different environments. However, they thrive in warm environments. It is important to keep the coop at a reasonable temperature during the winter months. This can be done with straw bails or heat lamps. Higher egg yield results during seasons of increased daylight. However, artificial lighting can be utilized.

Behaviors Honeybees are generally peaceful creatures that instinctively forage. As Peter Bane tells us, “Bees will sting only under provocation.” Each bee in the hive has an important role. Queens produce pheromones that regulate the hive, while worker bees provide maintenance.

Chickens are social animals that are generally very calm. If handled from a young age, both hens are roosters can be quite gentle. Nevertheless, roosters often become aggressive as they mature. The behavior of domestic chickens includes flying. Due to their body weight, this generally resembles hopping and flapping in effort to escape predators, roost, or fly over a fence.

Bees are ideally suited for my homestead.

The natural habitat of bees prior to domestication included living in hives located in holes of trees and on rock crevices. Wild bees, without human management, live in habitats much like they did many years ago prior to the domestication of honey bees.

Although honeybees have predators to contend with, including birds, reptiles, small mammals, and occasionally bears, the incidence and overall loss of bees to predators is minimal. With well ventilated hives, mites and fungal disease have not impacted our bees. In addition, our family refrains from using pesticides that would threaten the survival of bees and other animals.

◦Based on an analysis of the needs, yields, habitat needs and behaviors of bees and chickens, chickens are least suited for my homestead.

On a daily basis, our chickens require a habitat that offers protection from an abundance of hawks, owls, mink, fox, and coyotes. Prior to the domestication and the selective breeding of chickens to produce ‘broilers’ and ‘layers’, chickens did not weigh as much, or produce as they do today. Roosters were recognized for their aggressive nature and were pitted against each other for entertainment. ◦Although chickens have the ability to fly, they do not fly well and have

difficulty escaping predators. While roosters offer some degree of protection to the flock, the aggressive behavior of roosters is not suitable for my families homestead. The level of protection that is needed to protect chickens from predators on our homestead is significant.

“Like so many things we keep, this gift was more than it appeared.” - Kimberly Misra

◦While analyzing the suitability of bees and chickens on our homestead, I also considered the benefit that these animals provide to our homestead. It is evident that bees yield more benefit (when weighed against their needs) to our homestead. The cost of keeping bees is considerably less than those associated with chickens. Although, we can sell the extra eggs, the supply of farm fresh eggs in our area is high. Meat was not considered a yield, since we do not slaughter our chickens. The demand for local honey in our area remains higher than the supply.

◦The labor involved in keeping chickens includes daily feeding, watering, collection of eggs, and protection from predators. Bee hive management including breeding, protection against mites, harvest of honey, management/treatment of pests and fungal diseases. and protection from the elements requires minimal labor.

◦Ultimately, we are fortunate to maintain both chickens and bees. The joy that these animals bring to our homestead is immeasurable!

Resources◦“The Permaculture Handbook” by Peter Bane, 2012

◦“Natural Beekeeping” by Ross Conrad, 2007

◦“Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-it-Ourselves Guide” by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew, 2008

◦”The Things We Keep” by Kimberly Misra, 2016.

◦http://articles.extension.org/pages/66175/normal-behaviors-of-chickens-in-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks

◦http://www.ctedibleecosystems.com/what-is-permaculture