Number 5:  Chickens as mulching machines.
Denise loves what chickens do to fall leaves.  Each winter Denise takes the leaves from the trees and puts them in piles on her garden plots to start to decompose and await their final mulching.  The leaves are then cycled through the chicken run (see photo) where the chickens enjoy scratching through them to look for food.  Chicken claws are very sharp and make quick work of the large leaves (some as big as dinner plates), shredding them into little bits that are mixed with dirt and manure at the same time.  Once the leaves are properly shredded, Denise moves the mulch out into the flower beds and rotates fresh leaves into the run.  The leaves also keep the chickens out of the mud during the rainy winter.