Chickens 'diggin' the mulch!

[Kansas Gal]

Recently, we decided to let our 30 chickens wander the yard, rather than keeping them in their large pen, and are hoping they will keep the pests out of our garden. However, they have decided that, even though they have nearly 3 acres to wander around, they choose to come right in front of the house every day and scratch through the mulch around the rosebushes on either side of our walkway, and throw the mulch all over the walk. This happens every single day. I realize that scratching and foraging is what chickens do, but this is very frustrating! Does anyone out there know of anything I could use on the mulch to safely repel the chickens from this area, besides penning them up again? I have thought of trying ammonia and water, but I am afraid the smell would waft into the house. Our extension agent said she had no idea, but suggested vinegar water. However, either of these ideas, if they worked, would only be effective for a few hours at the most. She did also suggest putting down chicken wire over the mulch, but that would look pretty tacky at the front entrance to our home. Any ideas would be most appreciated!

 

[Netherworldtaken]

You could try giving them their own "sandbox" full of mulch.

 

[Katy]

Putting them back in their run is probably the only thing that will solve your problem. I don't let mine free range because of the havoc they wreck on the gardens....both flower and vegetable.

 

[azygous]

I have little garden plots scattered all around the house, and I've spent the last week carefully fencing each to keep the chickens from scattering the mulch and eating the tender new plants.

Today, I let them all out to free-range, and within the first two minutes, they found two vulnerable access points I had over-looked. One hen had found that I hadn't run the deer netting all the way to the ground around my whiskey barrel planters, and she was under the netting and eating the plants in the barrel before I had time to run get some chicken wire to patch the access points.

Then the rest of them found the garlic patch, and even though they all had decided last year they hate garlic, they had all the bulbs dug up and mulch scattered everywhere. I ended up re-planting the garlic and laying chicken wire over it.

I can't think of anything else you can do, and giving them their own plot of mulch to play in will guarantee their complete disinterest.

 

[gaillardia]

For me, most of the joy of having chickens is watching them move through my garden. I found that they did not mess with the mulch as much, after there were more plants to distract them. I also put large flower pots of soil around my garden for their dust baths. It has a rustic look and they really enjoy the visits. It has really worked to keep them out of the flower pots which actually have flowers in them.

 

[galanie]

Yep, for me, fencing the gardens is the only way. Mine even love to eat Aloe Vera! I nearly died when I saw my carefully replanted bed (after having almost all of it die to the cold this year) being devoured. Now the newer ones are even developing a taste for rose leaves. Fortunately my roses are Old Roses and huge so having them eat the leaves they can reach isn't really a big deal. The love the mulch around my dwarf apple tree but I just sigh and rake it back every few days. At least it brings them joy. Fortunately I'm not one to go nuts over a carefully manicured landscape.

 

[bakerjw]

My free rangers go absolutely bonkers over mulsh, compost and any other loose materials that can be easily scratched. There is no way to stop them once they've gotten mulch fever.

Last year my wife shooed a bunch out of one of her big flower beds. As she muttered unrepeatable words or cursing at the chickens the wandered off a ways away. The dominant roo decided that he had had enough of the younger roo and went after him. In his desire to escape the dominant roo the smaller boy trotted right in front of my wife where she was still rearranging the mulch. Yes. I was bad. I laughed most heartily.

 

[jason.jorcy]

you really need to place a fence for the chickens. they like mulches very much..

 

[A.T. Hagan]

There is nothing, but nothing more inviting to chickens than a well mulched bed.

 

[chicmom]

I had no problems what-so-ever UNTIL......I made the mistake of feeding a few of my hens worms and that I found when I was getting the flower bed ready for spring flowers. Then they discovered my hostas and decided that "MMM GOOD! HOSTAS ARE DELICIOUS!"

Sooooo, my fault! I drew their attention to it! ARG! Now I find them all in the front yard, right in the raised flower bed, standing around the hostas, eating them like I served them up as a salad bar! haha

Oh well.....I think I'll plant some hostas out in the edges of the woods so they can enjoy them......

If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em!