Gardeners: chickens eat what?

[TeaKettleK]

I'm planning our new garden this year, we have a bunch of fencing, but not enough to put everything inside it. My chickens are pretty much free-range and I'm guessing they'll love lettuce in the garden as much as they do when I toss it out for them as a treat. LOL

Are there plants the chickens will leave alone? I was thinking they'd leave the pumpkin/squash plants and melons? Will they dig up the asparagus?

Really not sure about the brussel sprouts, tomatoes, beans and flowers...

I'm guessing the peas, lettuce, carrots, strawberry, broccoli and cauliflower will be favorites, if they can get to them. LOL

Have you tried these with chickens? Do you keep them completely out of the garden? I was so hopeful they'd be able to help with the cabbage worms and japanese beetles this year!

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant (all in the nightshade family) are the only plants my chickens didn't eat, due to their toxic leaves. They did eat as many of the fruits as they could reach.

They will destroy your squash and melons and cucumbers in short order. Same for corn, all greens, all cabbage relatives, berries, peas, etc....

You will be happiest if you fence out your chickens, or fence in your veggies.

 

[kitaye]

Sorry to say mine ate everything in the garden, including the leaves of the squash and beans. Luckily I only have 10 so I was able to mitigate the damage.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

chickens will even eat the stuff deer won't touch. fence the garden, or fence the chickens.

 

[Lady_Cluck]

Quote:
No plant is safe from those pointy little beaks. Not even asparagus.

Quote:
I keep the little feathered destroyers completely out of the garden unless they are under very close supervision. Even then things still get squashed or consumed. Why is it chickens can't be happy eating ONE tomato? Why do they have to take a little bite out of EVERY SINGLE ONE?!

Usually I just bring the garden bugs to the chickens. That way we are both happy.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

My chickens ate not 1, not 2 but 3 entire gardens!!! That's what happens when you don't fence it or them in well. I didn't get to can up anything last year!!

 

[TeaKettleK]

Thank you all. A million times. GOOD to know. We're still trying to decide where to PUT the garden, so we definitely have time to TRY to make sure they can't get to it all.

I love this place.

 

[rancher hicks]

I fenced my garden in after they ate everything and what they didn't eat they ruined. What tomatoes they couldn't reach they jumped up and pecked. I still love them though.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Just wanted to add...


Gardeners: chickens eat what? Whatever doesn't eat them first. The silly things eat styrafoam!!

 

[Lady_Cluck]