Orpingtons! Do they did up your garden?

[hoosierhen]

My EEs had "mascara" when they were babies, and stripes like little jungle cats!

 

[Mik]

Ah so they still may be Buffs then? Do they loose all the markings later on when they grow up!

 

[hoosierhen]

Mine are Araucanas, also known as Easter eggers, also called "mutt" chickens. They are bred for their colorful eggs:blue, green, pink, and olive drab. Mine lay a light green egg, and when broken, the shells are a beautiful turquiose color under the membrane.

 

[CarriBrown]

larger figured ladies

Poor girls... They look fat in those feathers!

Maybe you can try a bantam breed instead, like a cochin. They look like an orp for the most part, but they have the feathered feet. My feather footed girls don't do as much damage, but I'm tellin' you... they run straight for the tomatoes. And even if they don't touch the plants, they will dig up the dirt to get to grubs and worms, leaving a big mess for you to clean up!​

 

[Mik]

Well thats it then, my garden seems doomed! I will be only having 2 or 3 Orpingtons and surely this should eliminate too much damage! should'nt it?

 

[Cetawin]

They are chickens...they will scratch, eat leaves and plants they like and that is that.

You can try putting a small fence around the garden....allow them near the garden for the bugs but not in it.

 

[MissPrissy]

Mik, just be clear. It is not just orpingtons. Any chicken you get will be the same when it comes to your garden.

 

[Buster]

Yes, all chickens. My chickens like to go along the flower beds and scratch out all the bark and dust bathe in the flower beds. We will have them fenced out from all that soon.

 

[Ellie]

My chickens, buffs included seem like they are digging to China! All I can see sometimes is the top of their heads peeking out of the hole, and they are good sized girls.

It is the way they take care of mites and get cooled off so I don't mind. I do have my garden fenced though for that reason.

Ellie

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

My bantams have no idea what to do...I had to show one how to scratch and dig. Caught on quickly but I thought that was odd.

Mik - I would be careful with them around foxglove. That is a harmful plant to humans; I would assume the same with chickens. The others should be ok but I'd fence them off to keep your flowers safe.