Pests and garden

[xjonesy]

Two quick questions:

1) I'm putting my coop and run close to my vegetable garden. When I let my chicks out to roam my backyard, will they wreak havoc on my garden? I'll have tomatoes, zucchini, radishes, peas, corn, etc. in the garden. Will I have to keep an eye on my ladies when they're out of the coop?

2) My neighbor, who also raises chickens, told me he had a mink or weasel once that got in his run and ate all the chickens and eggs. I'm planning on using simple t-posts and chicken wire around the run to keep the chickens in, but how do I prevent a mink or weasel from digging under the chicken wire and getting into the run?

Thank you!

 

[horsejody]

1. Chickens love veggies. Don't worry, they will only take a couple of bites out of each tomato.

2. Chicken wire only stops chickens. Predators don't have to dig unger it. Most can squeeze through it, chew through it or rip it open.

I would suggest that you use the chicken wire to fence the garden off from the chickens and something else (like welded wire) for the run.

 

[Chicken03]

Try to keep the chickens out of your garden. They love all kinds of vegtables and will gorge themselves in your garden.