Coops and gardens

[kenkirkley]

Building a new coop and am wondering if the hens will do damage to garden produce if allowed to free range in it.

Ken

 

[PirateGirl]

Yes. Chickens are really good at scratching up roots, eating newly sprouting plants, eating leaves and veggies off the plant, etc. If you don't want them to destroy it, fence them out.

 

[aart]

Yes. Chickens are really good at scratching up roots, eating newly sprouting plants, eating leaves and veggies off the plant, etc. If you don't want them to destroy it, fence them out.

Ditto Dat!!!^^^

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine will happily eat whatever they can from the garden, and uproot whatever they don't like, just to spite me.

 

[HopeSprings]

My coop is being built right now, just outside of my vegetable garden. My garden is enclosed with critter guard welded wire 4' high fencing. It keeps the rabbits out and hopefully will keep the chickens out, too!

 

[rosemarythyme]

My coop is being built right now, just outside of my vegetable garden. My garden is enclosed with critter guard welded wire 4' high fencing. It keeps the rabbits out and hopefully will keep the chickens out, too!

Have some netting on hand to cover the top if necessary... I had 3' chicken wire around my garden beds and the chickens were jumping in and uprooting everything within weeks.

 

[igorsMistress]

My coop is being built right now, just outside of my vegetable garden. My garden is enclosed with critter guard welded wire 4' high fencing. It keeps the rabbits out and hopefully will keep the chickens out, too!

Not high enough. I've been told deer netting works because they can't see the top and 4' would be fine.

 

[HopeSprings]

Have some netting on hand to cover the top if necessary... I had 3' chicken wire around my garden beds and the chickens were jumping in and uprooting everything within weeks.

Yeah, covering it won't work as it's 50' x 60'! I might try running netting above the fencing.

 

[aart]

I might try running netting above the fencing.

Many have done this successfully. Thin poles stuck in lower fence to attach deer netting too above has worked great, but doesn't always look great.

 

[flyin-lowe]

I have found that a fence to keep chickens out doesn't need to be as tall as a fence to keep them in. The first year I free ranged my hens I built a 6 foot tall fence all the way around my garden. The chickens never tried to get in, they walk up to it but see it as a barrier. The last two summers I have bought some new hens that are about 6 months old. I quarantine them in the garden and make a temp coop with a tarp and some skids. I have to clip their wings because the easily fly to the top of the fence and get out. Never have I seen one fly into the garden.