Tiller chickens

I ordered some rye seed to plant as a cover crop in my garden this fall, but I wanted to let the chickens work at the soil some before I planted it. All that's left now out there is kale and chard. Today I fenced in the kale that I wanted to keep for our consumption. 

Then I let the girls in.

They went right to work pecking at the plants and turning the soil looking for bugs. 

They've been out there for an hour or so and the ground is starting to look fresh and ready for some seed. I think I will give them a few days to work at it then plant my rye. It is supposed to put good nutrients back into the soil and be a delicious feed for animals. So once it's up and strong, I can let the girls back in there again and they can have a delicious meal, till the rye under, and get me ready for next year's veggies. It's a win-win!