Chickens get into the garden! -- oh no or ah yes!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I keep mine out with a two foot tall fence, they don't hop over it. Fresh manure can burn your plants as well as add contaminants, always compost or allow them in after the growing season.

 

[shortgrass]

Yeah, I hear ya, man. I caught them red-handed today. Well, not quite. Trailing a bit far behind them I found a decimated tomato. Then later, if that wasn't enough, under the peach tree lay 3 mostly eaten and otherwise destroyed fruit. Low lying fruit, the best in peaches, ugh. But still, I find they benefit the garden much more than detract. I'd like to think we can all afford ton share a little.

I just got my chickens after I planted my garden, so none of this was I imagining in forethought 

Lol I was thinking "why aren't those chooks going after the tomatoes?".... they were waiting for you to not be looking... I dint think I could ever keep mine out if the tomatoes... Well without a 6' fence... I finally just decided that instead of fencing off, that they can snag one here or there, as long as they can't get to the maters on the inside of the plant, then at least I get a few; I planted twice asuch in expectation of losing tomatoes.


I personally think they're getting so many good nutrients from them, that I would be selfish to hog them all to myself lol

 

[amiachicknorwat]

My garden's somewhat of a mess, by many gardener's standards and my tomatoes aren't staked, tucked slightly away of access by weeds, or so my rationalizing thinking went. Will stand firmer guard next time I let them out. Sharing is one thing, but losing too much is too much.

 

[TX2CA]

I keep mine out with a two foot tall fence, they don't hop over it. Fresh manure can burn your plants as well as add contaminants, always compost or allow them in after the growing season.

Thanks! This answered my question. Not exactly what I wanted to hear lol but I'll be less lazy. I live in zone 9 so I've got gardens all year. I do rotate between beds so I guess I can make some fences for the in use beds.

 

[Guvnah]

I started letting my chickens into the garden (protected by chain link fence) just to see how it would go.

I have highly organic soil, and the garden is heavily mulched. There is a layer of worms that lives under the mulch and in the top half-inch of soil. The chickens quickly figured this out.

By and large the birds went solely for the worms. Scratch down to the soil and FEAST!! One chicken grew enamored with the bean plants. I had to keep shooing her to a different area. But mostly they focused under the mulch and in the compost pile. Easy pickings for yummy protein.