Garden Coop

[sparkles2307]

Any advice? I have a square garden patch and the other day my brilliant idea was to build my coop next to the garden and encircle the entire plot (not too big, I am a lazy gardener) with like a 4 ft wide run. I was thinking that it would be more interesting for my birds, and keep the bugs out of the garden since they would have to get thru the chickens first. Is that a practical idea at all or am I just going to make more work then is worth it?

 

[Ether]

I'd worry about the chickens tearing up your seedlings and eating the fruits of your labors with this.

That said- I am building a tractor which can fit over our raised beds so that once plants are large enough to withstand some chicken torture, they can go to town on the bugs. I've got this in mind particularly for the brassica bed- those cabbage worms won't know what hit 'em!

 

[sparkles2307]

Oh they wont be able to get into my garden, the run would be enclosed, like a ring around my garden. I know how hard Chickens are on plants, thats why mine wont free range, I have too many pretty flower beds!

 

[wannabfarmgirl]

I'm a newbie here, so can't say from experience, but really like the idea. I had briefly thought of it for mine, but my garden is too big

 

[kycklingar!]

I think it's an adorable idea. It would keep the rabbits out, too!

 

[sherrydeanne]

It's brilliant. A lot of fencing and work, but brilliant.

 

[briana1975]

Sound like an interesting idea. Our veggie gardens are way to big to do that to. I was thinking a couple small tractors that could go between rows and get moved each day.

 

[BeccaOH]

I'm planning a garden moat for my chickens to run in also. My new coop will butt up to the corner of my garden plot. I may only get 2 sides of the garden moated this year and extend it next year. I wouldn't go more than 4 feet wide. If you keep the fence low, you may want some netting across the top to keep chickens in and hawks and the like out.

Hope it works well for you.

 

[BeccaOH]

A lot of gardeners look at this moat design from Mother Earth News for inspiration. This is my dream garden!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1988-05-01/The-Chicken-Moat-Enclosure.aspx

 

[sparkles2307]

Quote:
Its beautiful! A little big, as I mentioned, I am a lazy gardener! But I love it! I plan to use hardware cloth to fence them in and over the top. There are more hawks than deer where we live, and thats saying a lot!

I was hoping to get this whole thing done in a week this summer...for under $500, but I keep having bigger and better ideas, and my bill is growing too!!! But I want to be able to sit on my back patio and look out on my chickens/garden with a glass of iced tea and be proud of it, not think "oh my, i could have done THAT better...!" you know!?