Official BYC Poll: How Do You Chicken-Proof Your Garden?

[PippinTheChicken]

The garden is in a different yard. The chickens don't know they can get to it.

Same for me- they are allowed in that yard (with the flower patch) but under supervision...

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Our chickens have never really cared for our garden. Always left it alone or picked bugs off the plants. Never found out why

 

[ButtonHoarder]

The chickens aren’t supposed to free range, but they do. When we plant actual alive things then they’ll be stuck in their yard.

 

[maceleneo]

I had a cat just like yours. Her name was Bailey

she is potus and I named after a plant because she isn't exactly a frisky cat, but I love her!

 

[1muttsfan]

My vegetable garden has a 2' chicken wire fence around it, and they have never tried to get in. They roam around in the flower gardens and do quite a bit of digging, but C'este La Vie, the tough plants survive.

 

[SueT]

I have always fenced in plants when small, and when larger, the chickens don't bother them, but rather help keep off bugs. They do peck at lower tomatoes, but most are too high. Lettuce and greens stay caged. My chickens aren't interested in green beans, peppers, okra, eggplant, or squashes, so the larger plants are safe.

This year, due to hawks, I'm not sure the chickens will get out much. We'll see.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I have more trouble with my rabbit than my chickens!

 

[LizzzyJo]

Other: I fence it when I am serious about it, but most of the time I just shoo them out until the plants are grown. Once they're grown and they can't find space to dust bathe they leave it all alone.

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

Not sure this counts, but when I let my hens free range... If they go anywhere near my gardens, I just run at them and scream..... sort of like this actually:

The neighbors think I'm crazy, but oh well..... at least it works!


I've also recently started throwing out scratch grains/crack corn in the areas that I prefer they forage in, and it seems to keep them out of gardens about 75% of the time.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

My chickens are definitely NOT allowed in the garden during spring/summer/fall. When the ground is frozen I have no problems with them digging around. My husband has determined that chickens have a "scorched earth" policy and thus are banned when I am attempting to feed us. One spring they pecked off every bud from my blueberry bushes while I was distracted, I was only gone for just a couple of minutes!

We have what I call a chicken mote. It is not perfect, it only surrounds three sides of the garden but it seems to be very effective. Most insects must pass through the chicken yard before they reach the garden.