Humans have a nasty habit of displacing or exterminating any organism that doesn't provide an obvious short term benefit. We now know that biodiversity is the key to a healthy, functional and resilient ecosystem.
By including and encouraging a diverse range of plants, animals and insects we produce systems that are naturally harmonious and balanced and therefore require less human management and are less susceptible to climatic fluctuation and pest invasion.
Animals are a vital component of any natural system and it would be impossible to exclude them entirely. Larger animals, while not without their benefits, require a fair amount of care and attention. In addition the bigger they are the more space and food they require and generally have a bigger impact on their surrounding environment. Since we are currently establishing a large number of young trees this excludes us from any of the larger animals at this time.
In addition to the hens and their loyal rooster we keep 3 Kune kune pigs. This is a small breed, hairy and very affectionate. Their roles are as lawn mowers, soil cultivators and manure makers. Kune kune pigs are unique in that they can survive on a diet of grass and need very little supplementary food unless raising babies.
Over the last few years we have been impressed with how the chooks, young chickens, rooster and pigs all get along in the slowly emerging food forest they call home. They range freely together and at feeding time jostle with each other for access to kitchen scraps and grain.
Our chooks and ducks get fed supplementary grain that has been soaked in water. This makes it softer, easier to digest and because it swells up means they don't eat as much.
One unintentional positive side effect of feeding grain to the chickens while the pigs are present is they inevitably end up eating some of it. Being greedy, they swallow most of it whole and it passes straight through and ends up spread around their territory in the manure. The chickens have discovered this and are very eager to get at the grains embedded in the poo. This results in frantic scratching and disintegration of the pig turds resulting in faster breakdown and absorption into the surrounding landscape.
The thrush is a medium-sized songbird, common in the Southern Hemisphere, known for its melodious calls. Typically measuring 20–25 cm in length, thrushes have brownish or black plumage, depending on the species. They build cup-shaped nests in shrubs or low trees, where they lay 3–5 speckled eggs, primarily during spring and early summer.
Thrushes play a vital role in forest gardens by controlling pests like insects and snails, dispersing seeds to promote plant diversity, and improving soil aeration through their foraging. However, they may occasionally eat cultivated fruits, which can impact garden yields. Overall, they are beneficial contributors to a balanced garden ecosystem.
