Chickens are on "LOCKDOWN"

[meriruka]

Quote:
Roses. Trees. That's pretty much the entire list.

If you're someone that actually touches your chickens,
plant some poison ivy. They'll play in it all day (thus leaving your flowers alone) after which they'll all want to sit in your lap and cuddle against your bare skin.

 

[Guitartists]

 

[joebryant]

Put up a STAY OUT sign by the flower bed.

 

[chickflick]

Steve, it's really hot out there, hope your chickens don't over heat in the coop. I have my doors and windows open in the coop and it still gets to be 90 in there!!
As for plants that chickens don't bother, I have a whole front yard of them. Roses, cone flower, yarrow, poppies, iris, hydrenga, peony, bee balm, joe pye weed, butterfly weed, allyisum, and more. Yes, my chickens free range.
Steve, I suggest your wife look into some of these flowers for next year. The chickens scratch around in them, but don't eat them. I don't suggest low growing flowers, like petunias, even tho I see one that reseeded itself.
Also, make a fence to fence in the flowers.... I saw one some where in one of my gardening magazines that some one built out of boards, maybe 2x3 and hardware cloth. I think it was like 2 ft. tall. It looked nice and neat. I can look it up if you want to know more.
Are you sure you don't want a sweet BO roo????? lol

 

[sara]

I have a lovely lawn/flower beds. The way it works for me is that I have the underground dog fence around the perimiter of the yard that is off limits to the birds. The dogs know how far they can go, the birds no how far they can go. I'm home all day so I keep a close eye on everything. It seems to work for me. I've never lost a bird to my dogs as they all just seem to respect the bounderies, and I can have a nice lawn and flower beds.

 

[silkiechicken]

I'd fence the flower beds. Unless the flower beds have something they really really really really really really oh so desired and really want to get, a 18-24 inches high is probably enough to keep them out. 18 inches keeps out most my birds from the garden as they are too lazy to jump over the top even though they have no qualms at jumping 4 feet to their favorite sun spot on top of the straw.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

There are plants that poultry will destroy and plants that they will leave alone. If you want to keep plants that your birds will love to death, then you need to plant them in a protected area. Then they can free-range and not cause you grief!

 

[Steve]

I've read the replies.....Thanks.

Fencing in the house area is out...and I am not going to fence in my wifes flower beds.

So......I guess I will stop by TSC, pick up some fence posts and fencing, was hoping to allow them more room than just a run, but I guess that is what it will be.

Chickflick, I have good ventilation and although the coop is warm, it isn't hot.....however I let them out (can't harm much more I guess) cause it is going to get hot out today.

I'll get the run made by this weekend.

Thanks again.i

 

[ravenfeathers]

Quote:
well said.

 

[chickflick]

Steve, if you let them out to roam later in the day, they'll stick closer to the coop. Like 6:30 or so. Then they'll have a hour of two to free range....