I was talking with someone via email this morning about ticks and ways to control them. Not long ago while browsing the net I ran into Chicken Tractors. Basically CTs are small to medium movable chicken pens. They can be elaborate or inexpensive depending on your budget. I know when we used to have chickens where I used to live, I would let them into the (fenced in) garden in the fall and they would perform cleanup and fertilization duties. They were very good at uncovering hidden insects in the soil and plant matter. They also made short work of the remaining unharvested overripe produce all the while adding fertilizer where ever they went.
If you are interested there is a book on the subject. There are also plans at various places on the net. Try a google search on Chicken Tractors.
If anyone has ever used these I would love to hear comments on them.
We just raised up a dozen broilers in a chicken tractor (no wheels, though, so we called it a barge) and it was the easiest thing. The grass where they were in my orchard is definitely starting to green up, and they did run around looking for bugs whenever I moved the thing. Not sure about “control” though…they did get pretty lazy as they got bigger. But they did eat less feed than my friends chickens, so I guess it saved us a little bit of money.