Oh No!!! My Poor Tomatoes!!!

[Alphau]

I am new to chickens and have some that are seven weeks old. I have read online that chickens will not mess with plants in the nightshade family. We planted 8 tomato plants about a week ago. They have been largely unmolested. My husband said we should put up some netting around the plants to keep the chickens out. But OH NO. Smarty me has to be like "They haven't touched them so far and I read online that they don't mess with the plants themselves...just the fruit."

I went out to water my plants this morning and and there is nothing there. Just the stems. No leaves on any of the plants.

. It took our chickens about an hour after being let out of the coop to decimate our plants. Needless to say the netting is now up and the chicks have been in my black book for the day. I am a horrible gardener so I doubt these plants will make it. I may just have to go get some new ones this weekend and start all over.

 

[Daidohead]

They are fast. Wait till they show you they know how much plants cost, they will bee line right to the most expensive every time.

 

[Matt A NC]

First off, Howdy neighbor!!!

Chickens love tomatoes and any other plant for that matter. I have turned my back for an second and turned to see a newly planted mater plant being dragged up through the yard. 1 bird had it and a dozen others were chasing. We fence the gardens to keep the few freerangers out. The rest only get out of their Lots for an hour each evening and I keep them herded out of the far garden that isn't fenced.

Matt

 

[Tala]

Mine have never bothered the tomatoes.

If they disappeared overnight I guess it's possible that some catapillers or worms ate them, instead of the chickens.

Still though, as a general rule if you want to keep your plant you have to fence the chickens away from it!!!!!

 

[babsbag]

I have a rat that is eating my tomato plants...so annoying. I wish it was the chickens, it would be easier to fix.

 

[emvickrey]

Last year we let our chickens forage in the garden. They kept the bugs off, then I noticed that the flowers on the tomato plants where disappearing. So I started to watch the chickens and one of the cockerels would eat all the flowers he could reach on the plants. They never bothered the fruit themselves but that one fella loved the flowers. After we started getting tomato's I would pull some off and cut them open and toss them to the little feathered shadows that followed me all over the place.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

So sad, when bad things happen to good vegetables...

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
ok...this stinks!!!! We just bought this place last year and the lady that lived here planted some glorious flowers! Nothing is common, even the daisy's are florist quality! I would hate to see them eat all the flowers.

Looks like I need another roll of garden netting.