Birds In The Corn Patch

[barrybro]

My wife and I raise meat birds and also have a pumpkin patch farm in the fall. I raise about 1/4 to 1/2 acre of indian corn to sell. I do not have a ton of equipment and my the weed control is very hard in every crop I have. Could I pen the chickens in my indian corn after it gets a foot or so tall to fertilize and keep the weeds down?

 

[sjh]

I think they would heavly damage the corn. If they move enough to eat weeds they will try the same on the corn plants.

 

[barrybro]

Is there a point where the corn is just to big for them to mess with and focus on the weeds?

 

[sjh]

You could section off a small area and see what happens. I am sure at some point the corn will be tall enough to be left alone.

 

[chix4smokin]

my layers are out free ranging daily. The first place they go is to the corn patch. It needs to be tall enough that they can't reach the ears though. Once they figure out whats in there is when the trouble starts

 

[CARS]

No experience here, but don't other fowl make good gardener's? Guineas or Turkeys??

 

[highcountrychickens]

there are geese that are fantastic with this - a rare breed called Cotton Patch geese were used in the South to weed between cotton rows... If you can't find them, there are a number of other breeds that would do a great job, and be great characters to have around!