Most people immediately associate chickens with eggs. And yes, this is one of the main purposes of most chicken breeds, but they give us so many more things along with eggs that you might not think are a big deal- like their waste.
Chicken poop is very nutritious, and after it's made into compost, it's pretty hard for other manure fertilizers to compete with. And if you want to use straw for composting but the only store near you sells it with little seeds that you don't want growing all in your compost, chickens will take care of that for you by eating the seeds! Below is a list of some of the things that chickens do for us that we may hardly even notice:

  1. Tick control-Chickens also eat ticks, and ever since I have had my chickens (over three years), only one or two ticks have ever bitten me. Keep in mind, though, that if your chickens aren't granted access to the outdoor spaces you are in most of the time, their tick-eating will not be as noticeable.
  2. Feathers-Every few days, go around your coops and look for feathers. There are bound to be a couple. Feathers, especially when they are form breeds with interesting markings, make great collections. They can also be used in crafts, or if you have pet chickens, in memorial services for the deceased or for a "memory chart". Feathers are also used in pillows, but chicken feathers in pillows are not that common, as duck or goose down is usually used.
  3. Eating weeds- Chickens love to eat weeds like oxalis, clover, or crabgrass. Bantams make great little gardening companions and for no extra charge, they will eat your weeds AND your vegetables so you don't have to!
Please post in the comments if you have anything to add to this list, like what your chickens do for you or what their favorite vegetable to eat from your garden is. :)