Chickens for “noxious weed” control?

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

I live in Montana. We have various issues with noxious weeds. Canada thistle, knapweed amongst 20 others.

I know goats are used all over the country and world for noxious/invasive weeds.


Will chickens offer any of this ability if the young weeds are in their forage area?

I’m already a planning on using cheap surplus Roos from a big hatchery to reduce the ticks, so will have them throughout our mud/road construction/too many tourists season.

 

[alwaystj9]

That's a neat idea for surplus roos -- can I send you some??

 

[21hens-incharge]

They may stay away from the thistle. Mine won't mess with it.

There are many they will eat or scratch up.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What I find is that the chickens will eat all things down to the ground if they are contained in a small enough space. They will even scratch up the roots. Nothing grows. How big that space is depends on how many chickens.

If they have a larger space but are still confined to it, they will selectively eat some things but let other things go. They know what they like. I keep mine inside electric netting and have to mow that area a few times a year to knock down the stuff they don't eat so the stuff they do eat can grow.

When they have even more space they don't control or eat down to the ground anything. They roam enough and sample things (especially in a garden you don't want them sampling if they can get to it) but I would not expect them to control any weeds.

Will chickens offer any of this ability if the young weeds are in their forage area?

It depends on how big that forage area is and the chicken density. Time of year (how well things grow) might influence it too. They may do more damage in a dry season.

I’m already a planning on using cheap surplus Roos from a big hatchery to reduce the ticks, so will have them throughout our mud/road construction/too many tourists season.

I like this idea. I've ordered extra dual purpose cockerels when I place an order to get some cheap males to butcher.

 

[NatJ]

Will chickens offer any of this ability if the young weeds are in their forage area?

If the chickens are in a relatively bare area, they will eat any green thing that starts to grow. If they have lots of green things and lots of space, they will be pickier.

You might have good luck if you put the chickens in the area before the weeds start to grow in the spring.

If might also work if you mow the weeds really short, or use a rototiller on them, and then the chickens will probably eat the new growth as it appears (depending on how many chickens to how much growth.)

I don't think the chickens will do much for big, established plants of the kind you mention.