Chickens roam at Sudbury farm thanks to mobile coop

Stuart McCall's farm is known for its local produce, but this year the Sudbury farmer is venturing into livestock by adding chickens in a unique mobilecoop.

McCall, who focuses on sustainable farming methods at his McGrows Farms in Garson, is trying out a movable coop thatlooks like a small green house on wheels.

Right now the coop islocated inside one of thesheds at the farm, but when the fields dry out a tractor will be used tomoveit around outsideto provide a free range for the chickens. The henswill in turn provide nutrients for the soil in the fields.

"It's a pest control system that produces eggs," McCall said.

"They will be able to eat the bugs and the leftover plants from our harvest. Also we will get the benefit of the chicken manure as well, so that will help our fertility quite a bit on the soil."

CBC Reporter Megan Thomas took a tour of the mobile chicken coup:

On mobile? Listen here.

McCallsaid he plans to grow his flock to around 90chickens, the limit for farmers who do not have a chicken quota, and heplans to sell the eggs at his farm gate.