Best Chicken Coop Type to Prevent Garden/Lawn Damage?

[blacksabbath]

Hello,

I joined this community today, and I am not sure as to whether I am posting my question in the appropriate forum -- but I am getting 6 Salmon Faverolles for my backyard. I have had Buff Orpingtons and Australorps before on my ranch, but I am now moving to my new property. However, I spend a lot of time caring for my plants and gardening, maintaining my lawn, and I was looking for advice on how to prevent holes or damage to my lawn/garden. The lot is 2 acres, lots of greenery. Should I have a portable coop or allow my chickens to free range all day and only be in the coop at night? I really would like chickens again, but I do not want the work of my gardening efforts to be destroyed. Any suggestions? And thanks so much

 

[Got_The_Chick_Itch]

A chicken tractor so you can move it around.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Another option is a fully enclosed run to contain the damage as well as protect them from predators.

 

[getaclue]

Another option is to put chicken wire around the garden to keep them out of it.

 

[so lucky]

I wouldn't just let them free range. They will make dust baths in your most expensive flower beds and camp out on your patio furniture.
You could make a really cute coop for them, and have a permanent fenced-in area surrounding it.

 

[aart]

Another option is a fully enclosed run to contain the damage as well as protect them from predators.

This is your best bet to avoid damage to garden.

 

[DobieLover]

I too have lots of manicured landscape beds around my house as well as raised vegetable garden beds. Penning up the chickens is your best bet. If you let them out, the first place they will go is to the gardens because it's a fun place to scratch around in. And they will eat tender leaves and flowers off your plants, dig dust bathing sites in your mulch and soil, squash small fragile plants while also picking off pests. Let us not forget the fertilizer they will deposit everywhere you don't need it like your porch, steps and walkways. It just doesn't work.
You can put some hardy plantings in your chicken pen that they can have at. I did. It is not manicured but still looks nice and the chickens like it.

 

[blacksabbath]

I too have lots of manicured landscape beds around my house as well as raised vegetable garden beds. Penning up the chickens is your best bet. If you let them out, the first place they will go is to the gardens because it's a fun place to scratch around in. And they will eat tender leaves and flowers off your plants, dig dust bathing sites in your mulch and soil, squash small fragile plants while also picking off pests. Let us not forget the fertilizer they will deposit everywhere you don't need it like your porch, steps and walkways. It just doesn't work.
You can put some hardy plantings in your chicken pen that they can have at. I did. It is not manicured but still looks nice and the chickens like it.
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I apologize for the delayed response as I momentarily abandoned this site when I got busy, but that is gorgeous landscaping! Very lush. Thank you so much for your helpful input; I followed a similar avenue when dealing with preventing garden damage!