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

[BReeder!]

What garden, lol?

Yeah, we used to have a garden. Now we have chickens!

I actually do have a tiny little garden next to the house. It is supposed to have four kinds of mint in it and a little section of catnip, sigh. Catnip is AGGRESSIVE! It is already nearly up to my shoulders. I'm a little afraid of it. Pretty sure if I go in there to do battle with it I am going to come out covered in ticks.

I hate ticks.

Maybe I will put some chickens in there and let them duke it out with the ticks.

This is what I say about my ornamental koi pond. What fish? I used to have fish, then I got ducks.
Ooops!
The ducks sure are lucky I like them so much.

 

[Bill752]

My wife planted Ampalaya (bitter melon) on the garden/chicken pen fence as it provides valuable shade in the Summertime & for 4 years they didn't bother it. Last year our chicks found they loved it & ate the lower leaves, then jumping to reach some more leaves, until finally they jumped to the top eating all they wanted while knocking some down for the less brave. And even then they didn't kill it or eliminate the shade! In the garden we run ducks as their fertilizer doesn't burn the crops, they eat the bugs & grass, & also help water the garden by splashing the water from their tubs.

 

[Karen K]

I take my chickens with me when I'm gardening, but they do get to free-range in the backyard, so they even do 'weeding' without me in my flowerbeds. There are a few plants I have wire cages around. There are some plants I find mashed down because they think they make a swell place to 'bed down.'

 

[turkey girl 0964]

I fenced in the garden way before I started to free range them. The little buggars still get in and eat all my cucumbers....

 

[PopoMyers]

they have their garden BUT my vegetable garden is inside their area, protected by a pointless fence. for some reason they often walk on the fence but they never jump inside... something I'd rather not investigate because I don't want to break the spell.
View attachment 2626733

on the other hand, they often trespass the border with my garden (protected by a high fence) and eat every other plants...
this is nebbia with my iris

View attachment 2626746

Just read the article today that said iris aren't good for them.

 

[PopoMyers]

The girls are let into the garden for fall/winter cleanup only. I will have to fence off my strawberry bed because they nearly destroyed it by using it for wet dirt bathing last fall. Had to quit free roaming because they would eat my flowering plants and also dust bathe in my flower and hosta beds.

 

[maceleneo]

Just read the article today that said iris aren't good for them.

thanks for pointing this out. chickens used to eat only the leaves and as far as I know the only toxic part are roots. I never noticed signs of intoxication! anyway, since I love my irises, I raised the fence and they are safe now (both irises and chickens!)!

 

[PopoMyers]

thanks for pointing this out. chickens used to eat only the leaves and as far as I know the only toxic part are roots. I never noticed signs of intoxication! anyway, since I love my irises, I raised the fence and they are safe now (both irises and chickens!)!View attachment 2706977

What pretty irises, and cat, too...They ate my hostas, so no more free roaming for mine.

 

[maceleneo]

I will have to fence off my strawberry bed because they nearly destroyed it by using it for wet dirt bathing last fall.

so did mine: last year I couldn't eat a single strawberry! this year I fenced strawberries too... and they are starting to get red, they're almost ready!
when my parents come to visit they say my garden resembles the gaza-israel border more and more everyday but it's the price to pay!

 

[PopoMyers]

so did mine: last year I couldn't eat a single strawberry! this year I fenced strawberries too... and they are starting to get red, they're almost ready!
when my parents come to visit they say my garden resembles the gaza-israel border more and more everyday but it's the price to pay!

My yard looks more like a zoo for plants. Your country has some beautiful olive groves and gardens.