Flock under house arrest

[Unclebean]

DW has decided to confine the flock to the coop and run. Too many veggies were getting picked apart in the garden. Our garden is 50' x 200' and I don't want to fence it because of cost and we use the tractor to till it. Does anyone have any ideas? We have 11 acres for them to free range but they are taking the easy road and heading to the garden buffet. What can we do?

 

[CT_Todd]

Seems to me you got 3 choices...
1. Fence in your garden (along with a way to get the tractor in and to move around) and allow them to continue free ranging
2. Continue to keep them confined and do nothing to the garden
3 or compromise between the two and get a moveable run (tractor?) and move it to a different location each day..

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
There you go. Bless their heart.

 

[dawg53]

Eleven acres and they head to the garden...smart chickens, go figure lol. Without fencing off your garden I see no alternative but to keep them in lockdown or get a tractor chicken pen.

 

[cheri222]

next year plant a chicken garden to divert them??

 

[VioletandBodie]

Quote:
thats a great ideal

 

[gryeyes]

Anti-Chicken fencing doesn't have to be permanent. Garden poles and plastic poultry netting should be sufficient to protect the garden. And really easy to pull aside for tractoring. Then take it down when the season is done and let the chickens have at it! Free fertilizer for later plantings... then put up the temp fencing again.

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
Will the chickens know which garden is for them, and which one is yours?

 

[PunkinPeep]

My garden isn't remotely as large as yours, but i think temporary fencing is a good idea. We just used some t-posts and chicken wire and made a very temporary, very easily torn down and re-used, fence that is just enough to keep the chickens out.

500 feet of chicken wire might be a bit of an expense, but i think you'll be happy you did it. And don't forget you can re-use those materials indefinitely.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Home Depot sells temporary erosion fencing. It's black plastic with wood stakes every few feet and is about 3' tall. It might be a workable solution. It was very inexpensive.