Letting chickens clear the garden

[bruceha2000]

I guess they can handle the oxalic acid better than we can. I know they like other things that would make me sick ... like slugs

 

[rosemarythyme]

My chickens will eat tomato leaves so I'd clear out the tomatoes, personally. Other than that I believe the rest of the plants are fine. I let my chickens tear up the garden beds after frost in early spring and they had a great time, plus they did a good job turning over the soil for me and clearing out grubs.

 

[pclark17]

I appreciate all of the insight on this, I am going to pull all of the remaining veggies this week sometime (I will be sure to leave a few treat surprises for the girls) and then let them have at the dirt. I can't wait to see what they do when they are finally allowed entry!

 

[Morrigan]

The other thing you can do if you have concerns about their safety or not eating certain plants, is to simple pile up all the plants you have removed from your garden in their yard and let them at it. I have a lot of sunflowers in my yard and as they age I uproot them and drag them into their yard. Boy do they love that. Pepper plants and old squash also go over big.

 

[Spartan22]

This what we do every spring and fall

 

[christwodog]

With our garden, I recycle the used "chicken hay" from their coop and use it around the plants and in between the rows. It keeps the weeds down, as well as adding fertilizer at the same time. Every weekend the chickens get fresh hay and garden gets the old chicken hay! Then it all gets tilled up at the end of the growing season.
My chickens don't venture to that part of the yard for some reason, I think it's too exposed with no hiding places along the way.

 

[lazy gardener]

Lovely set up.

 

[bruceha2000]

This what we do every spring and fall

What do you do in the summer?

Nice build!

 

[Spartan22]

What do you do in the summer?

Nice build!

Thanks! They're off limits from our veg garden in the summer, I just throw in tomatoes , peppers and other extras we can't consume fast enough.