Letting Chickens into the Garden?

[Katiedid]

I've had a bad year with squash bugs and have heard that chickens like to eat them. I've sprayed Neem oil and used DE, but it hasn't really helped. I'd like to let the chickens in, if they eat the plants, it won't bother me, since the bugs are killing them anyway. I know the DE won't hurt the chickens, but will the neem oil? Their website says it won't harm birds in the environment, but I don't know if it's counting on chickens eating specifically plants or insects that have been sprayed. It's considered organic, but I want to be on the safe side.

Any one use neem oil but still let chickens into the garden?

 

[Shawna235]

I do! We have had trouble w/ powdery mildew so i have sprayed the squash, pumpkin, cukes and zucchini with it. My chickens have a lot of access to the garden and leave those plants alone. What they demollish is my lettuce, and especially my kale. Grrrr..... Need them to grow so i can integrate them into the flock and save my garden. I will say that we have VERY LITTLE pest problem as the chickens wipe out the bugs and slugs. They will go for tender plants like the green beans and peas but leave your tough squash alone.

 

[coffeenutdesign]

I have a small garden with only tomatoes and green peppers growing. I am trying to deal with a katydid issue. Do chickens usually bother tomatoes or bell pepper plants?

 

[flagirl]

they certainly love tomatoes, mine done seem to like peppers at all.

 

[coffeenutdesign]

Thank you, I will continue to keep them out then! My gardening abilities are not the greatest without adding chickens to my list of problems. I was planning on letting them into it once it quits producing to eat up all the vegetation and bugs, scratch up the dirt, and add a little poop so I can start composting in that area for next year.

It is already late in the season and I have lots of tomatoes on the vines, but none ready to pick yet. I think it has been way too hot this year.

 

[PuffyChick]

My squash is decimated by the bugs on it all of the sudden.

I went from none to a gazillion in one day! So I pulled that sucker up nice and slow and carried it off to my chicks run.

They of course did not like the big green leafy thing sitting in their run and all proceeded to sit in the coop staring out at it for half an hour!

I am like, Girls ..come down ..look buggies! BUGS...get the bugs ...Yummies ..


(blank stare)

Seriously ..come eat these bugs now!

(evil eye glare)

I am sure I heard a little voice in my head telling me to get that big green thing out of their run ..NOW!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I need to let the girls in the garden to deal with my cucumber/squash bug problem. Hope to do that this weekend but will put up a temp fence so that they can't get to the beans or tomato's, which are still doing well.

Our small corn patch was a disaster due to the heat and drought so we let our three - 3 - girls in there to have some fun. Below is a picture of what three chickens can do to a small corn patch in TWO WEEKS. We also had some pole beans going up the corn, which is the green leaves you see in the pics.

I make sure I fence off whatever area I'm putting them in because those gal's can knock down a garden in no time flat!

 

[Mattemma]

I am letting mine roam the yard and garden.All I had was cherry tomatoes this year.Lost most else to pests.Now when I plant my fall letyuce I will block them again.