Chicken Repellent

SteeleFaithFarm

In the Brooder
7 Years
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
62
Reaction score
2
Points
41
Location
Union, Illinois
Hi all
My birds have the whole farm to hunt and peck through. They help keep the bugs under control and they also gang up on stay cats, birds, and squirrels.

They have always been allowed in the garden but recently they have developed a taste for my watermelons and pumpkins. I have heard of making a hot pepper solution out of habenero peppers, water and a little soap.

Has anyone tried this method? My garden is to large to fence the birds out. And I have to many birds to keep stuck in the coop. I an open to any other ideas too.

Brad
 
You'll probably just have to fence off the garden. Hot pepper won't work as birds do not have whatever it is that allows them to detect the "hot" - they can eat jalepenos like they were bell peppers. I have chickens and a garden and do fine. So long as the fence is up so they can't get in it :)
 
Nothing is too big to fence in but it does cost money & its a thing called work. I have three gardens & they all have fences around them. If your gardens are that big then you should be able to plant enough for everybody. Maybe plant the stuff the chickens like the most on the far side. Mine don't really like peppers so put them in the front. Fence is the best solution it keeps the bunny's out plus the chickens.
 
We use the poly deer fencing. It's affordable, light weight and easy to install and take down. We're getting 4 years out of it. It repels the deer and keeps the chickens out. The poles are those $2 Home Depot landscape "timbers", the 3" type cheapies. Drive around spring with post hole attachment on the tractor and sink the hole 16-18" deep. Doesn't take an hour to sink the 50 holes I need, give or take. We use zipties to install the netting. Done. Clip the zipties and roll up the netting in fall. Makes using the tractor for fall cleanup easier and saves the poly 7 months worth of UV exposure. We enclose almost an acre of garden. I dunno. There's lots of ways, but it has to be done.


 
Trust me I know what work is. I'm working 2 jobs and trying to farm 5 acres. The cost is what spotted me from fencing out the birds. This is my first year farming so it is a learning experience. Next year I will fence in the squashes and watermelon. This year I was just trying to save what was left.

thank you for your advice

I like the landscape timber idea. I wool probably do that next year. Till then I guess my chickens are going to enjoy watermelon. I will put some chicken wire around the good ones to save what I can. Thanks for your helpful . It makes my farm better every day.

Brad
 
I have uses poly chicken fencing with bamboo posts that I harvested for free. If you leave 1"long stubs as you trim of the side shoots of the bamboo canes you have something to hang the poly fencing on. I've also cut large bamboo canes (2-3" diameter) at various lengths ( 36"-10'), split them lengthwise into quarters with an ax or hatched by driving it into the cut end of the cane. Then cutting ends at an angle to make it easier to push into the ground. Then push one end into the ground , bend the flexible green bamboo into an arch & push other end into the ground. I've used these to support beans, tomatoes & peppers. You may have to use string to tie up larger plants. Beats having to buy tomatoe cages & a great way to take out frustration on invasive bamboo.
 
Lots of good info, but my problem is a little different. I don't have any chickens and I don't have a vegetable garden. However, someone near me (I don't know who) has chickens and roosters. One of the roosters has taken a fancy to my yard. His crowing is only mildly annoying. The problem is that the rooster has decided to attack my dog. My dog is over 18 years old and can't defend himself as he would have in his younger days (I can tell you if he could there would be one less rooster on the planet).

The 400' periphery of my yard is surrounded by 6 foot high fences, but the rooster easily flies over them. Raising the fence higher is impractical and probably wouldn't work anyway because there are too many trees and high points outside the fence from which he can launch.

I guess I'm looking for a chemical solution, but would like to hear any ideas. Thanks.
 
Lots of good info, but my problem is a little different. I don't have any chickens and I don't have a vegetable garden. However, someone near me (I don't know who) has chickens and roosters. One of the roosters has taken a fancy to my yard. His crowing is only mildly annoying. The problem is that the rooster has decided to attack my dog. My dog is over 18 years old and can't defend himself as he would have in his younger days (I can tell you if he could there would be one less rooster on the planet).

The 400' periphery of my yard is surrounded by 6 foot high fences, but the rooster easily flies over them. Raising the fence higher is impractical and probably wouldn't work anyway because there are too many trees and high points outside the fence from which he can launch.

I guess I'm looking for a chemical solution, but would like to hear any ideas. Thanks.
Talk to your neighbour. Explain the situation.

I have a rooster that does this, and my neighbour is open with me. We've tried to stop him. Thankfully the neighbour is fond of him, and my rooster does not attack him. However, my turkeys have scratched his car. They have had their wings clipped, and are penned up until the ground is thawed and I can get electric fence to stop them from leaving our yard.

So your neighbour could clip his wings and that would stop him from jumping the fence.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom