Need brain power on this!

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Juno2

Juno2

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Aug 31, 2015
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Hi! I live in Northwest ohio on a 88 acre farm. This are is considered one of the windiest areas in the midwest. We currently have chickens that stay in the barn at night with the other animals, but because we wanted to have son=me closer to out house so the 7 yr old could be with them more, we have received a small 6 hen max coop. SO.. heres the question ...
Our house sits (end to end) north and south. our backyard is west facing and is where we get hammered by the wind.
The front of our house is east facing and i have a large flower garden that is fenced and gated. it also is lined with chicken wire.
Due to the heavy wind, i was thinking that I should put the hens in the coop on the east facing side of house and just work them into the flower garden. Not only is the wind manageable, but there are LOTS of bugs and also, they can get under the front deck and steps for additional protection. Additionally, they are protected well by from predators on both the ground and air.
My concerns are...
1. Are there plants in which are harmful to the chickens?
2. how to I keep them from killing and of the more delicate plants.
3. how well they can do in a flower garden.

Any thoughts on this either way would be greatly appreciated.
 


There are plants that are harmful to chickens..you can google and see ... I sure wouldn't know how to pick them out myself. I just know, when it's rained and rained here, and the mushrooms that pop up, my chickens won't eat them, and neither will the dogs. Which is good, because that is one thing I know is not good for them.

Garden? Chickens love gardens. If you have something in there you don't want them to eat..best keep them out. Will eat veggies, and and some flowers.
 
You can use the search bar at the top of the BYC page to search for plants that are toxic to chickens said:
2. how to I keep them from killing and of the more delicate plants. You really can't. I recently asked a similar question on the BYC gardening thread and everyone pretty much told me it was not possible. That chickens will either eat the plant or scratch around the bottom looking for bugs that they end up uprooting everything. I have had some luck with larger established plants in a rock garden, and a few containers, but I would not call any of my plants delicate other than perhaps my Lily of the Valley.
3. how well they can do in a flower garden. See above

It was basically suggested to me that I either save my time and money and not plant near their coop, or invest in wildlife/deer fencing to keep them out of the areas I had planted.

That being said, you might not know for sure unless you try it.

Also, just be warned that chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens in. It is not at all predator proof. If you want something that is predator proof, you are better off using something like 1/2" hardware cloth.

Good luck!
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