Are my chickens going to eat my garden?

[ckalisz]

Hate to hijack the thread but I'm a little curious here too. I fence my veggies but I also grow pumpkins and melons and potato in an unfenced area. Will those crops be safe?


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[PrairieChickens]

Hard to say. Most of the damage done by chickens isn't even because they're trying to eat the plants themselves--they just can't resist digging in that nice, soft ground. I didn't notice my chickens eating on the potato plants last year, but we did find a few new potatoes flung far and wide from their scratching. As for melons and pumpkins, we haven't tried to grow those on our land yet, so I don't know how they'll fare.

 

[Spangled]

I fence my veggies but I also grow pumpkins and melons and potato in an unfenced area. Will those crops be safe?

Okay, this is a bit weird, but I planted my winter squashes and pumpkins inside the fence and then trained the vines outside the fence specifically thinking of the chickens. Every thing was fine. I personally wouldn't try cantaloupes (melons) outside my fence because they can have a soft skin and a sweet taste. Winter squash and pumpkins are hard to peck into. And the dirt near the squash and pumpkin vines was covered in weeds so the chickens weren't interested in digging in it. They didn't seem interested in the squash blossoms at all.

I tend to agree with comment below made by PrarieChickens.

Hard to say. Most of the damage done by chickens isn't even because they're trying to eat the plants themselves--they just can't resist digging in that nice, soft ground.

 

[SummerSaige]

Yes, your chickens will destroy your garden if given the chance (especially the kale!). Make sure you securely fence off your garden when you let your flock out to roam, or just leave them in their run. Good luck!

 

[Woobsie]

Nothing is safe. They will peck the vines, leaves and fruit. Coming from experience its easier to plan ahead amd set the fencing up before your vines go unruly because you risk having to move the vines which are so very delicate. Plan ahead. Nothing is safe!

 

[Chickenlovers6]

Thank you so much, everyone!

 

[lazy gardener]

Hate to hijack the thread but I'm a little curious here too. I fence my veggies but I also grow pumpkins and melons and potato in an unfenced area. Will those crops be safe?


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A lot depends on how much space they have to roam, and if their urge to nibble gets satisfied elsewhere. I turn my girls loose in the garden after I've harvested. There was one zucchini still producing, and it was a daily race between them and me to harvest those. Potatoes: They dug quite a few that I missed. They generally won't touch potato vines, but will tear down your potato hills. Melons: I wouldn't trust them!

An inexpensive fence can be made to surround your garden beds out of deer fencing. It comes in a 7'W x 100'L roll which can be cut in half. It does a great job keeping birds out of the garden, but is a beast to take down in the fall if you've let grass and weeds grow up through it.