best chicken breeds for pest control

[AnnAnn]

Hi there,

I have thought about getting a couple of chickens for a few months now. I am still in the research phase and was wondering if anyone could give me advice on chicken breeds. I am basically looking for a chicken breed that is really good at pest control. We live in South Carolina and have a few problems with bugs down here. I would love to combine chicken awesomeness with non-chemical solutions for our bug overpopulation. The most common bugs are crickets, spiders, and "palmetto bugs" (also known as cockroaches). We also have a fair amount of snakes (cottonmouths, copperheads etc) even though I haven't seen one in the yard.

In a chicken breed I'm looking primarily for the ability to control pests, even though good egg laying and sweet character would be great as well.

Can anyone recommend a chicken breed? I really love the idea of silkies but would be disappointed if they were not taking care of the bugs.

Thanks so much,
Ann

 

[Alaskan]

I would think that your best bet for pest control would be the "sprightlier" more energetic breeds.

My sister has Hamburgs, which are small and lay a smallish medium egg, but lay very well (but they love hiding their eggs, which can be a problem, though fake eggs help). Her Hamburg hens have attacked snakes before that were trying to go after chicks, and lived. I don't think they managed to kill the snakes (over a foot in length), but that is some impressive gumption.

My leghorns (but I think any Mediterranean breed) are good bug eaters, and work hard to find them. They also lay almost every single day and always in the nest box.

I have Dominiques for the first time this year, and just yesterday one little 4 week old chick managed to snap a mosquito out of the air!

My more sedate Cochins and Marans are NOT the kind that would range widely and scrounge up bugs, they are more friendly breeds, but they also don't lay very well either.

 

[subhanalah]

Guineas.

 

[Alaskan]

True, Guineas are bug eating machines! They are probably best at snake eating and giant bug eating etc. It is however hard to get them to sleep in the coop and it is hard to get them to lay in your nest boxes.

 

[GPPearson]

Bantams or any small chicken breeds are great for non toxic pest control. But last year we had a huge pest problem and had to call pest control brooklyn NY. They did a great job.