Experience of introducing poultry into pastures for soil restoration

Integrating poultry farming into the structure of pasture-based livestock production became a result of the training in regenerative agriculture principles that Gemma Cripps completed. The experiment's goal was to evaluate how the loosening of soil by chickens and their application of organic fertilizer affects soil quality at the Gabyon station.

Two years after the implementation began, processes of soil rehydration and more active plant growing season are being observed. Despite the fact that the station covers 271,000 hectares, the birds cover only a small portion of the territory; however, their impact on the landscape is recognized as significant. The composition of the forage base has also changed: after winter rains and the appearance of fresh greenery, the color of the egg yolks has become more intense, while the chickens do not destroy wildflowers, preferring to bypass them.

The poultry management technology is being adjusted in light of external threats. Previously, a dingo attack led to the loss of about 80 chickens, which impacted egg production volumes. To ensure the safety of the flock, a portable electric fence is now used, which is regularly moved across the pasture.

A significant risk for the farm remains the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5, which was detected in June of this year in seabirds in Western Australia. The station owner relies on the farm's remoteness (200 km from the coast) and the lack of permanent water sources as protective factors. In the event that authorities introduce mandatory requirements for keeping poultry indoors, which is difficult to implement under current conditions, the only quarantine solution will be culling the flock. In this regard, the farm plans to switch to its own breeding of chickens to increase biosecurity. Potential herd expansion will depend on market demand and the ability to cover additional costs for feeding and flock management.