Abstract

The rapid expansion of utility-scale solar farms has created a significant land management challenge: vegetation beneath solar panels must be actively controlled to prevent equipment damage and maintain efficiency, yet conventional management methods such as mowing are costly and environmentally harmful. Agrivoltaics, the integration of agriculture within solar sites, has emerged as a promising alternative, with livestock grazing serving as a primary vegetation management strategy. However, commonly used animals such as sheep, goats, and cattle each present limitations that prevent them from serving as a complete mowing replacement. This study examined whether domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus) could serve as an effective agrivoltaic grazer by testing how simulated solar panel shade affects their foraging behavior. Two chicken tractors, each housing six ISA Brown laying hens, were used as treatment units: one control tractor in full sunlight and one experimental tractor under simulated shade, over a nine-day rotational grazing trial conducted in November 2025. Percent vegetation coverage was measured using quadrats and analyzed in ImageJ. Results indicated that chickens in the shaded treatment consumed more vegetation than those in the unshaded treatment, suggesting that shade may encourage chicken foraging behavior in a manner consistent with agrivoltaic conditions. However, vegetation remained in both treatments at the end of the trial, and the study lacks true replication, limiting the generalizability of findings. These results are best interpreted as a proof of concept, supporting the potential viability of chickens as agrivoltaic grazers and warranting further research with true experimental replication.

Advisor

Moreno, Carlo

Department

Environmental Studies

Disciplines

Agricultural Education | Poultry or Avian Science

Keywords

Agrivoltaics / Solar Energy, Animal / Poultry, Behavioral Ecology

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2026 Anna Katherine Mapes