Chickens in Vegtable garden??

[dangerouschicken]

You are very lucky to have that experience. Chickens love greens and ripe fruits and veggies, and do everything in their power to consume them ALL. They are like dogs in a meat locker

Well, I personally would never feed the chickens tomato plants, rhubarb, foxglove, and potato greens/peelings. I have read too many times about chickens dying from that stuff. It is easier just to avoid it all together.

I have guineas for bug control. They are not smart enough to figure out that the veggies are edible, and prefer their bug protein.

 

[PearlD]

Well, there you go then!

Groceries are so expensive, I never let anything get too ripe before I'm running out there and plucking it off the vine!

Those chickens don't stand a chance against me........
(In my best Dr. Evil voice)Waaaaaaahaaahaaaa!!!!!!!!

 

[Fowl-Language]

Last year I had a problem with one of them eating all the ripe tomatoes. Then "she" started crowing, and was rehomed, where presumably s/he is eating her new owners' tomatoes this year. The only problem I've had so far is the chickens busily scratching up seed...I had to erect a temporary fence until the plants got some size. It's their favorite place to hang out.
My senior hen ate some currants off the bushes after watching me pick some, but she soon stopped.

 

[Henrietta23]

I can't let mine in my gardens either. Mostly they dig up the plants but they will eat the ripe fruit as well. Most of my veggie garden is fenced to keep the pug out, of all things. The only garden the chickens can dig in without causing problems is the established perennial gardens. (sounds fancy but it's not-trust me!)

 

[JennsPeeps]

Quote:
Oh there was no feeding of these items done on my part. These were was all self-serve buffet incidents.

Dumb chickens.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Oh yeah, those tiny pea brains do all sorts of accidental dumb things, don't they?

 

[tfpets]

I have completely lost control of my garden this year, it's on an automatic waterer, and being evacuated for a week, then too smokey to do anything but take care of my pets, it's totally overgrown with grass/weeds. I think I'll hand pick a few girls to go play in there, it's almost a total loss anyhow? Will it hurt them to have a go at the garden, long grass mixed with a few tomato, squash, pepper plants?

 

[balticbabe]

Quote:
Did eating these things cause them any harm? I'm getting low on clover and dandelions so it would be great to let them have a go at tomato plants.

 

[digitS']

I wouldn't toss tomato plants into the pen.

Tomato foliage is probably a little less toxic than a lot of things they can get into but read what the Merck veterinary manual says about Solanum species. That they would be of some dietary benefit to the birds I think would just be kidding ourselves.

Steve

 

[JennsPeeps]

I agree. I wouldn't necessarily give these items to the chickens, but the occasional snack on them hasn't hurt the birds.