garden zone

[scottishgal]

I am getting my first chicks ever ( austrolorps) and I was wondering if they will do alot of damage to my garden and flower beds ? I would like to let them free range, but I can fence them if I need to. My husband says that a standard fence will not keep them in, they will just hop over, do I need to cover the top with more fence ? I will have about 20 chickens total on a little over an acre of land.

 

[scottishgal]

I have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries , and grapes. Plus other rotating garden crops

 

[PhilErvin]

I purchased a 50' roll of the light welded wire fencing that is 5' high and T-stakes and put this around my garden. My girls and roo are not interested in the garden. I have a 3' picket fence that seperates my back yard, Koi pond and dog from my chickens and they have never jumped over it. They peck and scratch right up to both fences and don't seem too interested.

 

[CompostQueen]

Quote:
What kind of chickens do you have? I am wondering because I read a post from someone who had Barred Rocks and their experience was that they jumped the fence more than any others they had. I have a mixed flock of chicks that includes 7 BR and I am concerned about flying as I live in a neighborhood.

 

[detali]

I cured my chickens of flying over the fence into my garden by clipping their flight feathers on one side of their body. That way if they try they just flop back to the ground. There is a post here somewhere on how it's done.

The alternative and more expensive way is to add one fence on top of another to make it higher.