What if your chickens could do more than just lay eggs? In this episode, we explore how mobile chook sheds can improve soil health, boost pasture growth, and reduce fertiliser costs through better nutrient cycling. Featuring insights from farmers and soil experts, this episode unpacks the nitrogen cycle, pasture recovery, dung beetles, and practical tips for building healthier, more profitable farming systems.
Key episode moments
[00:02:00] Rising fertiliser costs forced a new approach.
[00:04:00] The business started with 50 chooks in a caravan.
[00:09:00] Chicken manure improves nitrogen and soil health.
[00:10:00] Nitrogen efficiency is low without good management.
[00:18:00] Moving sheds regularly helps control manure load.
[00:22:00] Dung beetles help spread nutrients naturally.
[00:28:00] Changing rainfall affects pasture recovery times.
[00:30:00] Start small and build the system slowly.
Extra Show Notes Links
Clean Coastal Catchments Program nitrogen and dairy pasture video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq--upG4xXs
NSW DPI fact sheet on chicken manure use in pastures in the associated links with the podcast:
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/140359/Best-practice-guidelines-for-using-poultry-litter-on-pastures.pdf
Sam and Pru Pincott’s pasture-raised egg enterprise holbrookpaddockeggs.com.au
Watch a film we made about them
youtube.com/watch?v=YqQjQ_IL6mI
Virginia Mall’s regenerative mixed farming operation gracespringsfarm.com.au
Dung Beetles Podcast Episode – The Big Shift for Small Farmsopen.spotify.com/episode/2Yi2M7FK0JZtmNulR6vKkr?si=bmWzC9iaSqCOe7FDhbLZtA
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Produced by Grow Love Project and hosted by NSW Local Land Services. Supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program. Views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Greater Sydney Local Land Services or the Australian Government.
