chicken moat around a garden? :D

[MetalSmitten]

So we were tryin' to figure out what we want to do to protect our new garden space from the deer, and it occurred to me that if we're already thinking about fencing it, what if we went ahead and made a narrow hallway-esque covered chicken run encircling the entire garden to make a "chicken moat" around it?

Hopefully it would keep the deer out, AND the chickens could eat any bugs trying to crawl their way into my veggies. AND then after the harvest, we can just let the chickens into the actual garden to clean it up and fertilize it for next year! Has anyone ever done anything like this? Is this a crazy smart idea or just crazy?

 

[Imp]

It's a great idea. Apparently works well.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/search.php?search_id=817845581

Imp- It's a crazy smart idea

 

[MetalSmitten]

that link didn't work for me? sorry!

but yay!

 

[Imp]

Quote:
That's odd it works for me. Who knows that's computers for ya.

Go to the top of the page

click on the word search in the blue bar

Keyword is moat

Topic subject only

all forums

submit button is at trhe bottom of the page

I think there was 4 hits on past threads

If that doesn't work repost here and I'll link each thread.

Good luck

 

[Stumpy]

I've always loved that idea! It will probably remain a dream, though. It seems like it would be a great way to keep bugs off the plants.

 

[MetalSmitten]

haha aww, i thought i'd made it up!

 

[calista]

Quote:
You probably internalized reading this article in 1988:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1988-05-01/Garden-Pest-Control.aspx

Has anyone recently constructed a chicken moat like this? If so, please share pictures and please tell us what worked and what didn't. I'm thinking of trying this on a small scale. Thanks!

 

[Hamptons06]

Haha!! That's totally awesome!!

 

[kidcallous]

well if you didnt think of the idea, I still thank you for posting it. I have been going round and round trying to figure out an affordable way to keep chickens.. We *DO* have a garden area that is fenced in, and there is a swath of grass about 3 feet wide going around the perimeter of the garden, in a square. Would definitely be easier to let chickies go free than to get the lawnmower in there once a week...

Now after reading this posting, I'm going to ask my DH if we could do that! We have extra fencing and posts, and it would definitely make things alot cheaper..

If we did that, all I'd have to do is build/buy a coop for the girls to go at night... We planned on only getting 3 chickens so i think it just might work..

Going to check those links for some more information!

 

[laughaha]

I've been thinking about doing something like this for awhile now as an additional run. I would love to see pics if anyone has done this before.