my destroyed yard

[Beekissed]

I fence the garden and don't plant anything else where the chickens can get at them.

 

[BorderKelpie]

Hmmm, my birds are spoiled. I planted two gardens. One for me and one for them. Mine is fenced away from the birds and the other is fair game. They love their greens!

 

[quailgal]

I can relate! I've fenced off my garden areas, too.

 

[dichotomymom]

I feel ya. We're on 2 acres so they have tons of room to roam but the one place they settle (and ruin) is my mulched flower bed right up against the house I'm thinking of buying a truckload of mulch and dumping it in the back......I'll throw a big pile of money on it (since they seem to love wrecking the flowers I saved up for, lol) and letting them at it.

 

[jafo]

Our six keep the grass down pretty good on our 1/2 acre side hill. I thought a 1200 sq ft run would keep them in,,,,,,,,nope. I clipped thier wings, and a 4' fence to them is a hurdle,,,,,so we let them run. They go all over,,,,,in the woods, down the bank, over to the camp next door,,,,,butt they always follow the roo home. They got the coop and the dog house they lay eggs in, and yesterday, one dropped an egg right on the welcome mat to come in the house,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,now,,,,,,,,,if I can get 'em ALL to do that,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[annie3001]

its difficult to have flowers and a great looking manicured yard!

your a chicken owner now!!

 

[Marbleheader]

Quote:
That is true dedication. I bet that there are internet people forums that chickens visit and talk about how to keep those pesky people from putting up fences to keep them out of the garden. Yours probably brag about how they let you have one garden, so they can have the other all to themselves.

 

[Royd]

I have decided that it is going to be my responsibility, if I want a garden, to protect the plants from the chickens. I actually see them, as being advantageous, to the garden. They keep the mulch beds stirred up, and fertilze, at the same time.

I think, making small cages, out of chicken wire, for individual plants, until they reach a good size, is the way to go. For things, like onions or turnips, which are planted in a row or bed, permanent hoop covers will have to be made.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
Did it make the eggs taste good? My hens ate my ornamental peppers (the OMG hot ones) one year. They ate the peppers and left the leaves alone.

I felt a little sorry for them when they pooped - they jumped like someone had lit a fire under them! http://www.pic4ever.com/images/bl5.gif The eggs sure did taste good!

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Quote:
Just wanted to say that most of the plants mentioned in this post are poisonous if eaten by a chicken, and can make them very sick if not kill them. I would not recommend planting any of them where chickens range. I do have many of these plants since I work at a garden center and have them where my chickens can not get to them. Please be safe when planting in areas where your chickens will be.

You are correct indeed. Nightshades for the most part contain poisonous alkaloids. These plants are by and large poisonous to animals and people. I wouldn't recommend grinding them up and feeding them to the chickens, but none of the 14 chickens that live amongst them every day have shown any ill effect. They tried one nibble when they were chicks, and then never tried again. As "simple" as a chicken brain may be, when it comes to eating, they seem to have a discriminating palate. The very purpose of the plants producing the alkaloids is to keep from getting eaten. The chickens seem to understand this agreement.

I have other friends who have kept their chickens fenced into the tomato patch for the last 30 years. No problems yet...