For Gardeners: Dealing with Slugs/Snails

[kriswrite]

I live in the Pacific Northwest, where slugs and snails are something every gardener battles. In the past, I've used a combination of hand picking and Cory's snail bait. This year, because I now have chickens, I only used hand picking. But my garden is suffering heavily and a few plants probably won't produce food because they've been ravaged by snails/slugs.

Any suggestions for me? The hens don't seem the least bit interested in slugs or snails, and all forms of hand picking simply aren't do the trick. Is there something like Cory's that I can use that won't harm the hens? Or am I stuck planting slug & snail attracting plants only in the front yard where the hens don't go?

Thanks,
Kristina

 

[DuckLover2399]

Quote:
Ducks work great! They loooooveeeeees slugs!

 

[JulieNKC]

Ducks love snails/slugs....

 

[Vtchicks]

What some pepole may not realize is the size of them bad boys. In Vermont my slugs are 1/2 inch long. When I lived in Wa. They were closer to 6 inches long. I always used a tin pie plate with 1/2 inch or so of beer in it, a lot of slugs showed up to the party but none went home. They all drowned in the beer.

 

[mystang89]

My chickens seem to love them. I found a few under the wood I was moving and threw them to the chickens who then proceeded to fight over them. Was fun to watch.

 

[Mattemma]

My chickens don't want them. A border made from copper,thick straw mulch,or beer in a container have helped.

 

[2overeasy000]

Beer. Slugs love beer. Also, crushed up eggshells by the base of the plants. Slugs don't like to crawl on eggshells, just like I don't like to walk on them.

 

[donrae]

I'm not familiar with Cory's, but why can't you use it? Do your hens have access to the garden, and if so, how do you keep them from eating your produce? I'm thinking whatever bait you use will kill the slugs in the garden, and I really don't think the hens will eat a dead slug, esp if they don't want a live, juicy, wiggly one!

 

[arcatamarcia]

I use Sluggo because it is organic and if the dogs eat it, it won't hurt them. It comes as a little white pellet that you sprinkle around so I'm fairly certain chickens would try to eat it if they were in the garden (I fence my garden, so the chickens don't have access). I don't know how it would affect chickens, but it would worth looking into. It's pretty expensive, but very effective and not poisonous to people or dogs.

 

[pips&peeps]

beer has to be fresh, stale old beer will not work