Campus Chickens
In 2022, ten years after its founding, the Campus Garden welcomed its first flock of chickens. The flock gives students the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with microlivestock in a regenerative setting.
True citizens of a permaculture forest garden, chickens serve multiple functions:
- Produce fertilizer​
- Eat garden and apiary pests
- Speed up composting progress​
- Provide companionship and entertainment​
- Eggs are just a bonus!
Get Involved!
- Volunteer in morning to feed and let chickens out​
- Evening lock up, making sure all our feathered friends are safe in their coop​
- Throughout the day check-ins (looser, not necessarily scheduled)​
- Friday deep clean-ups (likely during normal garden workdays)
Meet the Chickens
(Big) Bertha (Black Jersey Giant) - Extremely friendly, and is harnessed trained. Has a short attention span and is highly food motivated. Likes being perched up high to watch the world! Has an odd earlobe. Favorite snack: Pretty much anything.
Cate (Black Jersey Giant) - The smallest of the Jerseys and has yellower legs. Is very sweet and always runs to greet whoever stops by. Favorite snack: Cut-leaf coneflower leaves
Sweet Lips/Sweet Heart (Favorelle) - As a lovely French lady, she has extra toes! She always has a lot to say about the world. Likes to inspect the shoes and pants of visitors. Loves pecking at buttons and shoelaces! Favorite snack: Watermelon
Janet (Black Jersey Giant) - The most adventurous chicken! Has a large, floppy comb to tell apart from other giants. Favorite snack: Not sure but loves fermented feed more than the others.
Eggs
In the spirit of the permaculture ethic of Fair Share (redestribution of surplus), the 5-8 eggs we get each week are used for garden events and Lifelong Learning programs.
Chicken Care
- Food/water​
- Provided and foraged​
- Grit​
- Clean space​
- Deep litter​
- Protection​
- Eventual guard geese​
- Lighting​
- Fencing
Meet the Chickens
(Big) Bertha (Black Jersey Giant) - Extremely friendly, and is harnessed trained. Has a short attention span and is highly food motivated. Likes being perched up high to watch the world! Has an odd earlobe. Favorite snack: Pretty much anything.
Cate (Black Jersey Giant) - The smallest of the Jerseys and has yellower legs. Is very sweet and always runs to greet whoever stops by. Favorite snack: Cut-leaf coneflower leaves
Sweet Lips/Sweet Heart (Favorelle) - As a lovely French lady, she has extra toes! She always has a lot to say about the world. Likes to inspect the shoes and pants of visitors. Loves pecking at buttons and shoelaces! Favorite snack: Watermelon
Janet (Black Jersey Giant) - The most adventurous chicken! Has a large, floppy comb to tell apart from other giants. Favorite snack: Not sure but loves fermented feed more than the others.