From songbirds in the trees to honey bees out by the hives, Marshall Mouse, our resident rodent on the farm, has many farm friends. All of the wildlife on our farm provide “ecosystem services”–benefits that we humans gain from the environment going about its business.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits we gain from farm animals is the good work that chickens do. When we think of chickens, our minds might immediately go to the eggs that they provide. But at the 21 Acres farm, our chickens do much more than that.

Goliath, or “Princess Warrior” as she came to be known after surviving an encounter with a coyote, is one of our hens. Did you know that ancient Egyptians and Romans both worshipped chickens as gods? While Goliath might not be a goddess, she is still queen of the farmyard. She scratches at the ground to turn the soil, eats bugs that are a nuisance to our crops, and gobbles up vegetable waste that humans no longer want to eat to return those nutrients to the soil.

Out at the chicken coop, you might also see Coyote, a striking black-and-white speckled lady, Stu, one of our roosters who protects the flock from predators, and Duke Duck, a misplaced mallard. Duke Duck is a fancy gentleman who was hatched with the chickens. If you ask him what manner of bird he is, he’d definitely say “cluck cluck” rather than “quack quack!”

Did you know that chickens are one of the oldest domesticated breeds? Humans have kept chickens for about 3,000 years, making them one of our oldest companions. Stop by the 21 Acres farm to say hello to our feathery friends!

Want to learn more about the wild farm life and get up-close-and-personal with our chickens, amphibians, bugs, and more? Sign up for Farm Life Safari starting on August 5.