Chickens in the garden

[jackiedon]

Yes they will eat your garden one of my rooster got out and ate 5 tomatoes!!!

I have put DE on my garden and it has done wonders this year. Especially for squash bugs and for tomatoes. You don't have to worry about it getting on the veggies.

Good luck, nothing better than a garden and fresh eggs!!!

jackie

 

[nightshade]

ginnes are great for bugs exspecially beetles but they still scrach and dust so they will dig up your garden to do so.

 

[okiechick57]

I was hoping my flock would go to my garden ......but they went to my strawberry patch instead, I fenced it with wire........ was happily picking berries all week,went out today to find this little turtle just muching out on the berries.........UGH>... my vegi garden drowned this year........only getting cucumbers now....which I happily shared with my chickens........they turned their noses up at em.... geesh....... isnt that the way it goes.

 

[hisbride]

I put a barrel next to my coop so I could put the chicken poo there and let it decompose. ( It already stinks there) When I am ready for it I can transport with either a hand truck or just shovel out what I want into a wheel barrow.

I would recommend the food grade DE for the bug problems. If you don't know about DE do a search for it on this site and you will find what you need.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, chickens eat up, tear up, destroy plants in the garden. I have to fence in all my plants. They have nearly killed this one large summer flower plant by dustbathing under it and digging up all the roots!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Ah, well.. then clearly they will be no help in the flower garden either.

Hmmm... I could use the poop though. I put in new raised beds back in the spring and the dirt is terrible. What I get for believing the dump truck owner, I guess.
I've had a hard time getting anything to grow here at all! Between the poor dirt and the drought, my flowers and veggies look terrible. The beans are about the only thing coming in at all.
How do chickens feel about roses and japanese beetles? Sure could use some help with that!
CG

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Your coop shouldn't be stinky. A stinky coop is a mismanaged coop. If it does smell, then you need to add more litter/pine shavings if you're using the deep litter method or clean it if you're not using the deep litter method. Our big coop is right next to our house and has never been a problem. It sits between the house and the garden.

We currently have chickens in a chicken tractor, which is moved every two days. That never gets smelly, either.

My chickens have never bothered our roses, but that doesn't guarantee they haven't eaten or dug up somebody else's!

 

[SandraChick]

I have free range chickens.

Yes, they forage in the flower garden....I have a few tricks for new plantings, but once they're settled, they leave them alone--except for a few varieties...can't get astribile without fencing!

DE is great for getting rid of bugs, but be careful how you apply it, as it kill the good bugs too--including bees that come to polinate your plants!

My garden is fenced off...but don't underestimate the power of chickens to kill bugs. By keeping the bug population down around your garden, it does help with the bug population in your garden. Same goes for the ducks and slugs--I've now gotten to the point where I'm excited about finding a slug so I can give a treat to the ducks!!!

During the "off season", my chickens and ducks have free range in my garden.....They fertilize it, till it, debug it, and keep the weeds down. Makes for a GREAT start the next season.

Chicken tractors between rows is a great way to continue the "off season" process....

When I clean out the coop (I use the deep litter method)- I throw the bedding into the garden and then till it under after about a week. Then I plant another week or so after that- no problem with "burning" of plants, but it's not like I put inches of bedding on the dirt either. For the raised planter person....in the fall add your coop bedding on top and then work it into your soil (or let your chickens do that part!). You'll notice a big difference in the next spring.

I could go on.....chickens are still a great thing for gardens.

(oh-yea....coops shouldn't smell, if they do--you're doing something wrong, and very often it means you have too much water/moisture)

Sandra

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I'm not sure that the chickens could do much more damage than the stupid japanese beetles have. Apparently my rose bushes are tasty.
The deep litter method is when you lay down 5-6 inches of litter, right? Can I use sawdust or does it need to be something like straw. I have a renewable source for sawdust. Just don't want sneezy chickens! Theoretically, the cleaned out pooped on sawdust would act like both compost and mulch in the garden. Yes?

 

[SandraChick]

yes- several inches of bedding.

I typically use free shavings from a cabinet makers!....I do prefer the larger wood shaving like stuff over the very find dusty stuff, but I use both (it's free afterall!)....

The KEY to this method is keeping it dry. ALso, it's best to mix in the poop every so often....I just do it before I add a fresh layer on top---but actually, the chickens mix it up themselves anyway.

I prefer not to use straw as the inside hull is a favorite mite hiding area. YUK.

I will actually use the stuff as mulch also in my flower beds. I'll water heavily, put several layers of newspaper downaround my plants, wet the newspaper well, and then put a couple inches of mulch. Keeps the weeds to almost zero..and even if one pokes through, it's really easy to pull out. Keeps the beds nice and moist underneath too, so less watering. At the end of the season, I work it all into the soil, newspaper and all--the worms and mother nature take care of the newspaper in time.

Hardest part is keeping the chickens from "dusting" in it..but I manage!


voila!
Sandra