How To Keep Chickens Out of Flower Beds and Gardens

[paxicotrader]

This year I'd like to make a success of both my free range chickens AND my flower gardens!

I've heard these things can keep chickens away. Has anyone had luck with any of these methods??

1. Planting rubber snakes in the bed to scare the chickens
2. Sprinkling cayenne or chili powder
3. Sticking 12-inch wooden kabob sticks with sharp ends pointed up around each new plant (supposedly the chickens hate being poked and will leave the flowers alone)
4. Putting vinegar around the perimeter of the bed

 

[Katy]

The only thing I've ever found to work is a fence.

 

[Buugette]

Wish I could help, but when I figure out how to keep them out of the my kitchen... maybe I can help with the garden and flower beds...

1. rubber snakes - mine try to eat
2. pepper don't faze mine in the slightest
3. I would hate to harpoon my babies
4. I put ACV in their water... they love the smell of it

Good luck...

D

 

[biddyboo]

I'm watching this thread with high interest...our hens have lost free range rights until we solve the issue of their demolition of our veggie garden and tender hostas. Breaks my heart not to open their gate to our small acreage, but sustainable out here means vegetables as well as eggs! We spent a couple hours in Menards recently researching fencing for our 30 X 110 foot garden...nothing is both reasonably attractive as well as reasonable in cost. Help! ~G

 

[Jess N Jeff]

My vegetable beds are raised (varied hights: ground, 1' and 3') and I have netting around them. It seems to work well for me. The netting especially seems to freak my ducks out. They walk into it and spaz out which scares the chickens.

good luck

 

[HEChicken]

I don't do flowers but I have expanded my vegie garden this year. I put a fence around it to keep the chooks away. They're annoyed and want in that space so bad LOL. At the end of the season, I'll open it up and they can go in and till the garden for next year.

 

[cherp68]

Darn, I was hoping someone had a solution here. I just planted some ornamental grasses in my patio pots and my ladies have already dug & trampled them. Last summer, the first summer we had the ladies they destroyed my beautiful hostas.
As for my veggie garden, I'm downsizing this year and planning to put some chicken wire around it. I also have to fence in my raspberry plants, last summer they ate the berries they could reach.

I usually sprinkle bone meal in my pots to keep the squirrels from digging in them so I thought I'd try that today to see if it would deter the chickens - no luck, they just ate it!

If anyone has any ideas on how to keep the ladies from digging in my pots I'd love to hear them.

 

[bockbock2008]

Has anyone tried the fake owls or the big red and yellow "eye" ball?? Thought about trying those to keep them from digging up my mulch.

 

[fiberart57]

I've been putting rocks about the size of a grapefruit around the bases of my roses because the girls were digging down to the roots. This has helped a lot with the roses out in the open. But I'm currently fencing off the rest of the flower garden and I've had the vegetable garden done for a while because I have a tomato and cucumber stealing dog

Mary

 

[jennrenee]

Ive been crucified once for saying this but kabobs have worked for me..A little background..We have 10 acres about half of it is briars and those darn devils walking sticks.My 20 pasture raised birds have a lot of room to roam..I noticed they stead clear of briars and pokey things. They don't have to get their eye poked to know..It's instinct.so when I tried for two years to have a sizable garden as I have a sizable family, I found nothing could keep them out.Nothing including fence...They would just fly over it. So I thought I'd give the kabobs a try. No I don't want my birds impaled but it was my last effort until I could afford enough fence to put up for a half acre garden..Also I'm an outside person so I sat and observed.alot lol.In years past as soon as I turned my back they would have eaten everything to the ground..Mainly my duckies lol..This time they took one good look and kept it moving...Didn't even try..They are smart and there is much easier grub to get elsewhere..Now im thinking that once these plants are established I will try to move the kabobs out little at a time to see what happens, but in my experience so far it is working and I don't expect injuries as they don't even attempt it..Now my experience may not be for everyone, as many aren't at home all day to keep an eye but honestly my flock hasn't been near anything I've planted since I did it..I only hope that when I remove them things will remain the same so we can live in harmony..I can't stand to pen my birds up..So if this doesn't work I may begin gardening indoors..I hope I haven't insulted any bird lovers but I wanted to share my experience without being stoned by the pet chicken sector..I did this as responsibly as one can, lots of watching them as I don't want them poked...It is a visual thing for them as far as I can tell