Gardening with chickens

[Portia]

This morning was nice, so I decided to go out and get some more things planted in the garden. Since not much is up yet, I left the gate open so the girls could join me; and within minutes I was surrounded by happy chickens and one content dog. The girls happily helped me dig some rows, running in and scritching each time I lifted a spade full of dirt. However, when it came time to set my onions they weren't too overly helpful; picking each starter out of the row as soon as I set it in and running around the garden chasing each other for the prize. I changed my tactics and covered the starters as soon as I put it in the ground. This set off a lot of bokking, dirt scritching and generally mobbing the area I was working until I thew a few starters out for them to continue playing with. By the time I finished the 3 rows of onions they had left the garden and moved on to other parts of the yard. Silly girls.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

How many of your girls were helping you? If I let my chickies into the garden, I would have bare earth. I have really enjoyed thinning this year though - in the past I never thinned the young plants enough. I hated to throw away the extra seedlings. This year I have been throwing them to the chickies and they so enjoy them.

 

[Portia]

Only my peas, brassicas and some early rising beans are above the ground; so not much for them to go after. I have 15 pullets and the garden is 24'x24'. Once things are up I will only let a few in at a time to see what they do. Right now they are more interested in bugs and things in the dirt than the plants I've put in around the yard...except for the St. John's Wort; they all seem to really like that.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

ST. John's Wort? I think I'll put some in for the girls. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Portia]

Yeah, if nothing else I'll have happy, content chickens! They don't do much more than a peck here or there are most of my other perennial herbs...the annuals are a bit different; they seem somewhat fond of parsley, at least today.

 

[chickbea]

I don't let mine out during the actual planting part of the process, and as soon as I've planted I cover the plot with this green plastic light fencing until the seedlings have a chance to get going.

 

[Portia]

I'm new to chickens, so this is a first. I keep the gate closed to the garden to keep all our critters our...dogs & chicks alike, unless I want them in there. Once things start to sprout I will probably only let the dogs in; as long as they can stay off the plants!