How do I keep my neighbor's flock out of my garden!!??

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hopp2it

hopp2it

In the Brooder
7 Years
Jul 10, 2012
56
12
39
My neighbors, as nice as they are, don't really know what they are doing. Yes they have a decent coop and pen area for their flock but the fence is inadequate and I keep trying to tell them they need to reinforce it. I also don't believe they supply the birds with enough feed because the birds are penned with a miniature horse and 3 goats which probably eat most of the food lying on the ground. I have clipped the wings of all their birds. Their birds keep hopping the fence or finding holes in the fence right into my nice little veggie garden. I have found 4 eggs and evidence of one of them dirt bathing in my green beans. I have found hallowed out tomatoes. It is driving me nuts. I have chased the birds (same 2-3 every time) out of my garden 2-3 times a day. Is there anything I can put in my garden to discourage this behavior, like pieces of metallic ribbon or string to scare them? The veggie beds are raised beds about 18" off the ground.

Thanks.
 
You have 2 choices: file a complaint regarding your neighbor's chickens. Or you could fence in your garden. It could be done cheaply, and would be hardly visible with deer netting. It comes in a 100' x 7' roll, and can be cut in half with scissors, giving you 200' of fencing to work with. You can use fiberglass fence posts woven through the fencing and held in place with clothes pins clipped at the top. My chickens will not go over this 3.5' barrier, and it's easy to step over.
 
I have talked to my neighbors several times and they've tried things but aren't educated in penning them. They aren't home much so they rarely see what the birds are doing. I honestly believe (and have told them this) if they feed them more they won't go forging as much. I can't fence in my garden because I have 5 separate beds plus a raspberry bush patch.

Are there any other things besides fencing my garden?
 
Feeding them more will not make any difference. They will still go looking for your nice treats. In what you describe the chickens are probably the ones eating the feed off the ground.

I’m not aware of anything that will frighten the chickens away. I had a snake in the coop yesterday, eating eggs in a nest. Other chickens were just walking around as if nothing was happening. Fake owls or other predators won’t work.

The only thing I’m aware of is fencing, either fence the chickens in or fence them out. Sorry!
 
I agree with the above poster. If it causes that much of a problem then those are your options, along with fencing in your entire yard not just the garden (which would be much cheaper) You could get a dog but again if you don't have a fenced yard then that would be problematic as well unless you don't mind having a dog on a chain. I have deer netting wrapped around my chicken run and it's been great and keeping birds from flying into the run and also keeping snakes from getting through. It's so so easy to work with and you get a ton of it for a good amount of money.
 

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