Chickens Eating My Flowers!

[mountain chicken]

our chickens are not interested in the flowers it more those stupid rabbits.

this year the rabbits out number the chickens I'd estimate
8 to 1 ,

our fox population is down by almost 85% this is why the rabbits invaded

If I sit in the yard in 6 hrs I could pop at-least a 160 of those stupid annoying critters.

my Brahmas must have killed about 9 that wedged threw the
tight wire on run, it's like a sport to them

anyone want a rabbit coat I could supply the rabbits.

SHHHHH Be Very Very Quiet I'm Hunting Wabbit !!!

 

[MyChickenShack]

Well as much as I hated to resort to this, I did....my husband made these for me...im hoping once the plants get better established and the dirt isn't as visible, maybe I can remove the cages...also, I'm thinking next year I might take black plastic like I use in my garden and cut a circle the size of top of pot and mulch with it so they can't scratch....if my plants recover now that they are caged up, I will post an update

 

[ChickNanny13]

Best of wishes ...

 

[MyChickenShack]

Best of wishes ...

Thanks!

 

[True Patriot]

I was going to suggest wrapping the planter in hardware cloth. But I see that isn't necessary.
Good luck, I know it's not the best looking solution, but it may save the plants.

 

[MyChickenShack]

So I promised an update....my husband built these cages and my flowers look great....I guess I could lift the cages up off from around my flowers if I hosted s picnic...but actually I don't mind the appearance...one pot has chocolate mint and creeping Nancy which have exploded outside the cage....the chickens seem more interested in the red bloom and plant part of my dragon wing Begonias, and they can't get those anymore. I also purchased a roll of picket fence from Lowe's to put around my flower bed/asparagus bed and they can't get in it anymore, so hopefully, flowers and asparagus will do better next year. This is the best balance I've seen so far to keep chickens and flowers.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[WunnySharbit]

Great idea! Yeah, I've discovered that putting fence around only works a) with very small-holed fence. like rabbit cage or wire mesh b) if plant is put 1 1/2 to 2 chicken neck lengths inside the fence. Good foragers are very adept and inventive little critters!

Although it probably won't work in your situation, I put an old baby gate across the top of our stairs. (At first, I put it at the bottom of the stairs, but they discovered that they could hop on a bike next to the porch and jump through the rungs and wander up the stairs and leave me their HUGE stinky calling cards for my efforts!) I also put my smaller pots on up-side down 5 gallon buckets. A few of my bigger birds could still stretch and pull off plant bits, though, so I set up a folding table, putting the plants close enough to the edge that they couldn't hop up for a buffet. They got bored and quickly transferred their energy to digging up the newly planted garden. Fences were quickly hopped or flown over.
Since I used to raise feeder rabbits, I had a few cages of varying sizes (2'x2' up to 3'x5'). I took off the bottoms and put them over any areas I didn't want garden helpers. A few nicer ones I painted white so they're kind of decorative. I wired the bottoms to the regular-type fence around my tomatoes and berries to keep flexible necks and beaks out.
To protect my garden, I constantly have to come up with new ways to outsmart these birds....um....I mean to upgrade my "chicken enrichment program"...yeah, that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[PouleChick]

It is a neverending battle -this year the chickens won due to my lack of energy to get solutions sorted! I've now bought some shortish chicken wire and they havne't bothered trying to jump that so going to put that around areas as I plant them (must get the garlic in!!).