Planting a garden in chicken land.

[teach1rusl]

lol...this spring will our first with the garden/chicken combo too. We're already planning on the green metal stakes and netting around the garden... Good luck with yours!

 

[briana1975]

We have almost 6 acres and our chickens are in our back yard. Our 2 veggie gardens are in side areas. During the summer there was enough stuff to keep the chickens busy and out of the gardens. They did get into the flower beds but no big damage there either. I am just constantly having to rake the mulch back into place. I don't fence the gardens but there is alot of yard to cross to get to it.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Some things, its okay if the chickens get....

too many radishes,
too many sugar sweet peas,
too many arugulas,
too much salad,
the spilt beans that sprouted and are vining everywhere...
MICE!
CHIPMUNKS!
Japanese beetles!
SLUGS!
BLACKBIRDS! (our chickens are territorial. They chase birdies.)
Just let them in when you think you've had enough of your greenies. Or, if you want to clean up a pest problem, organically. They WILL dig up everything!

 

[GrannySue]

Quote:
My experience is that ducks are just as bad, if not worse!

 

[BigSkyChickens]

We built an enclosed garden to keep the squirrels out. It also keeps the chickens out!

It was a great place to have them outside last fall when they were young'uns.
Sometimes I let them in for a quick bug tour.....but it never lasts long.

 

[clucky2]

OOooo, I like how you did this. I'm moving some of our veggies to the front yard and fencing the backyard vegetable garden in some similar fashion. Last summer we had no garden for veg's as I was too busy trying some landscaping strategies for our flower beds with new chickens. I added lots of river rock around borders, tucked in wire screen around sensitve areas, and caged off new plantings with sticks and string. I too sweep up after then alot, but it's working out alright. They're worth it.

 

[solarquail]

open garden to the chickens.....

Chickens - 1
Food People - None!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I had my chickens clean up the garden area before planting a very late winter garden, which I hope is harvested before spring. I am in Louisiana, so it is possible. I will then bring them back into the garden to clean it up again before spring/summer planting. I pasture them in 2 areas and I hope to add a third pasture area........saves on feed and lawnmower expenses. It is possible to garden and keep poultry if you plan it well.

 

[Equus5O]

I saw previously mentioned that established plants and raised beds will help prevent chickens from decimating the vegetable garden. NOT!!

They ate my established Swiss Chard. They ate my established Brussels Sprouts. They ate my established pepper plants. Oh ... and I have very large raised beds.

My 6 large raised beds are surround by three rail post and rail fencing. The very bottom is enclosed with chicken wire (I'd never seen rabbits around here until I planted lettuce!). I plan to run deer netting up from the bottom rail, and extend it above the top rail by using stakes. I can't just run it to the top rail, because I've seen the chickens fly up to the top rail.

 

[Ibicella]

Quote:
This is what we'd do with them too. Perfect for before/after harvest clean up, but not during growing.

Oh, and compost! Chickens love compost piles and they are great for stirring them and making them nitro rich. All you have to do is pile it back up again to heat up after they scratch it down.

So chickens have a good place in helping you garden, but they are little bulldozers. So plan on keeping them seperated from the garden while its growing.