How to discourage hens from tearing up my flower bed with bark mulch.

[rocking2r]

My free range chickens LOVE to scratch around in my flower bed with bark mulch. They throw it out of the bed, and into the porch. It’s a terrible mess ! Can I put something in the bed that will stop this behavior? Maybe something like Sevin? Or something that is safe that will drive the chickens away. I don’t want to encourage my dog to chase them out because that could end up badly.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I don’t mean to be rude, but, I couldn’t help laughing! Nothing will stop my girls from digging in fresh dirt, sand, or mulch! Nothing, No. Thing.

The only thing I can suggest is not adding mulch next year so you don’t have as big a mess.

 

[aart]

I keep thinking there MUST be some kind of plant that repels them.

No magic plant.
Romance meets Reality.
Fence 'em in or fence 'em out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Some folks have had luck with motion detection sprinklers, but if that's not an option you either gotta fence them in or fence them out.

Sevin does nothing but kill bugs, it won't deter chickens.

 

[aart]

Yes sevin is safe for chickens.

Not approved for poultry in the US tho.

 

[Ellen Welch]

I have been reading up on this for a couple years and the concensus seems to be that it is impossible to keep chickens out of your flower beds. However, my stubborn self just wouldn't accept this and I have come up with an idea that is working so far (it's been several weeks and my girls are out everyday).
My beds were horrible from years of them tearing them up and me not having a solution. The first picture is the only "before" shot I got.
I removed all the old mulch, laid down fresh weed paper then added a very light layer of fresh mulch, covered the entire flowerbed in chicken wire. You can see it in the next two pictures. I staked it down with garden staples then added another light layer of mulch. To plant I will have to cut out a hole in the wire. There are a few spots that I can see some of the wire through the mulch, but it's a small price to keep my flowerbeds nice!
SO FAR... my girls will walk into the flowerbed, try to scratch a little then walk back out because they can not get past the chicken wire!!
I am very hopeful that this is the answer to this issue. I'll update if they become a problem again. Hope this helps others!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I fence my chickens out of anything I don't want them to have access to. I tell people I used to have a garden, but now I have chickens, lol. Sorry I don't have better advice for you. Is Sevin safe for chickens?

 

[Folly's place]

Carbaryl kill insects, and is not good to spread around 'just because'. It's
also off the list of approved products for chickens.
It's about fencing, as others have mentioned. Depending on what breeds you have, it's possible that even that 24" decorative fencing might be adequate.
Rocks around special plants can help. We have 2" to 6" diameter stones around shrubs next to the coop, so the birds don't dig dust baths there.
Mary

 

[getaclue]

Not trying to be rude, but

 

[Folly's place]

Looks good for now, anyway. Updates in a year or three will be interesting...
Mary