Keeping my hens from eating my pots?

[cesargtapia]

I've had my hens for a month and a half now. They have setted very nicely, and are happy as a clam. Recently they even started climbing on me when I sit to watch them do their thing, which is quite funny.

But there's something that is driving me crazy. They have almost 2.000 square meters to enjoy, full of grass, bushes and trees. And then I have a couple of pots with plants just by my door. So of course, guess which plants they've decided are their favorites to eat and dig the soil out of the pot

I don't want to put a fence at the entrance of my home, so I'm wondering if there's something I can do to make them pick any of the other 3494592 plants they have available and leave my pots alone.

Thank you!

 

[sourland]

Pray?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Do they have any bare ground areas where they can dig easily? Every once in a while I buy a bag of mulch and mix it with some dirt then dump it in a pile near the barn. You would think I bought them tickets to Disneyland with how ecstatic they get playing in the pile and digging around.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Get a wire cloche for each of the pots.

 

[cesargtapia]

Every once in a while I buy a bag of mulch and mix it with some dirt then dump it in a pile near the barn. You would think I bought them tickets to Disneyland with how ecstatic they get playing in the pile and digging around.

That's a great idea! They have a lot of space, but the soil itself is quite homogeneous and hard, so they can peck around, but not really dig. Maybe that's why they're so interested on the pots.

I'll definitely give the mulch pile a try, thank you!!

 

[cesargtapia]

Pray?

That's not very specific, I'm afraid. Pray to whom? Which prayer? Out loud or to myself?

 

[sourland]

That's not very specific, I'm afraid. Pray to whom? Which prayer? Out loud or to myself?

Cook book in hand reciting recipes.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yeah, they will be back, they can totally unplanted a vegetable garden in the time I am telling my mother on the phone, I got to go -the chickens are out!

Pray - you don't put them in the soup pot!

 

[Perris]

That's a great idea! They have a lot of space, but the soil itself is quite homogeneous and hard, so they can peck around, but not really dig. Maybe that's why they're so interested on the pots.

I'll definitely give the mulch pile a try, thank you!!

In that case, in case you don't already do it, I would recommend you start collecting leaves this autumn and get piles of leaf mould going. I'm sure you're right that the pots attract them because the compost is easier to work, and almost certainly contains a lot more organic matter for them to forage than the homogenous hard soil you say is elsewhere.

Fallen leaves, especially oak if you have it, support enormous numbers of invertebrates that make soil healthy, and provide nutritious snacks for foraging chickens.

 

[Georgia Chickens]

Can fashion chicken wire around potted plants. Doesn’t really affect visual aesthetics of plants, but is a chicken life saver here.
I also put their replaced bedding + kitchen scraps out (away from house) and they turn it daily. I rake up into pile once or twice weekly. Makes great compost, in less time. Aside from providing many nutritious bugs for them, it keeps them busy, w/hours of digging and scratching. (away from my garden and plants).