Growing fruit might be our main objective, though our best trick is double cropping. Many people grow melons at the base of their fruit trees or green beans on their orchard fence. Having a chicken tractor that we move around the orchard is very effective also. Here is an example of local chickens. Imagine the amount of fertilizer your putting down at the base of every fruit tree.
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As a man who has had chickens for the last 20 odd years, I can tell you with 100% certainty that they eat more feed than the value of eggs they produce. However, I agree that chicken manure is very effective at making trees grow.
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That is absolutely true, but if you raise the grain you dont have that problem.
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As a man who raises grain (specifically corn bred to make good chicken feed), I can assure you the amount of work involved exceeds the value of eggs produced. 
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I never had that experience. I raised corn and chickens the majority of my life i just didn’t know the easy way i guess until my health went downhill.
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Animals in the orchard are a real help. When I had a dog there were far fewer deer hanging around. This spring I’m looking to pick up a couple cats to work the orchard. I’m sure they can give me a hand with thieving mice, squirrels, birds, ect.
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Depends on the quality of breed your producing also.
I agree dogs are great orchard animals. Cats might wreak havic on voles i just dont have experience with that.
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Ducks worked well for reducing bug pressure in my garden. Had 4. One got eaten by… something a couple weeks ago. Will probably buy a few more next year for additional bug control.
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I do. Cats wipe out voles with great ease
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We let a pen of chickens out frequently when weather permits. I can never count on them going where you want them to go. A good many follow you around as if they were your inspectors…lol
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and they dont dig up everything like chickens do.
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i cant let mine free range while im doing stuff in the orchard as they are underfoot all the time. if im picking berries they steal them out of my bowl instead of picking their own. lil’ bastards. 
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free ranging saves a ton on feed cost esp. if you grow things just. for them to eat. last spring i grew a mix of quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, chicory, hulless oats and kale on a 10’ x 12ft piece of lawn on the south side of my run. i fenced it off with some 4’ black plastic fencing to keep them out until the plants matured. they really enjoyed that into oct. if you have a smallish flock, leftovers is a good way to supplement thier feed. i used to get expired produce from the local supermarket but since they went corporate they dont allow people to get it anymore. i have shady places under my big trees where i allow the dandelions and plantain to grow then harvest them about once a month. i also have a stand of stinging nettle i chop and drop for them. they will also eat comfrey once its wilted a bit.
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I used to do the same with the markets around the area. Now I have only found a single one that will let you have some stuff that would end up being waste. Really a shame.
Just recently I have put out seed specially for my chickens to eat after if grows up a bit. It just started sprouting, we havent had much cold weather so far this year. I can usually go around my yard and get them a couple big bunches of random plants/weeds to eat.
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