Planting a garden in chicken land.

[citychickx6]

Here is my plan.....

I am building a pergola above my garden and using picket fencing on the lower portion. I am going to use chicken wire on the upper portion and on the top.

My veggies will be protected by making a-frames for the rows covered with chicken wire and 3x3x5 square bottom frames for the tomatoes. One side will be hinged for harvesting.

My goal is to have less weeding to do since the hens can help and to give the hens some extra room to hang out during the day when we are home.
I know chicken wire is not going to keep predators out but it will keep the hens in. That is why it will be only used when we can be out there too.

I absolutely love the idea of having the help in the garden and DH is on board with it.

We have one hen that does not lay well and DH said I am not allowed to cull her out. She is his favorite.

SOOOOOOOO she needs a new job.

 

[MedChicken]

I'm getting ready to plant my garden for the spring. Will chickens eat hostas?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosta

So far they've been kept busy with the grass and have left my blueberry bushes (bare of fruit at the moment) and raspberry canes (also bare) alone. I'm getting ready to plant some phlox and hostas in the back. I tried to keep the toxic stuff (daffodils, christmas rose, etc) in front.

Thanks!

 

[Imprfctme]

Oh my god am I jealous of that coop-garden design! How clever! Definitely if I ever move somewhere that I have enough land that is what I will be doing. I am also very impressed with the person that trapped woodchucks. I had one destroy my pumpkins this summer that I nicknamed Godzilla because it just marched into our yard and smashy smashy devoured our plants. Too smart to be trapped though.

Hmm, I am really going to have to plot out where we put the fencing up now. That design is just too brilliant.

 

[PHILMAN]

Quote:
Oh Hell yeah they will ! They devoured mine !!

 

[kcfuerst]

So far, I've managed to keep the chicks out of my garden by keeping them fenced in their own run. They only get to go into the garden when it's ready to turn over.

 

[chickencrazylady]

6chickens in St. Charles :

Raised beds.

And clip their wings.

Last year I had a hen that could jump straight up over 2 feet without even ruffling a feather, unless those raised beds a over 4 feet tall that doesn't help much!! Lol
I let my 1 silkie roo and 1 hen free range in my garden last year and it was great , when I went out to weed, Silkie-boy and HennyPenny were there beside me helping dig up the weeds for me!! The only problem I had with my Silkie-boy was when he actually saw me planting my pea rows and when I was halfway down my 50 foot row and busy planting my seeds, I didn't realise that Silkie-boy was also busy coming up behind me un-planting my pea row and eating them as he went along. After that little episode I had to net off all my rows to ensure that my garden would come to fruition.
Loving my chicken and wouldn't have it any other way!!!!!​

 

[Imprfctme]

Slightly off-topic, but I have an amaryllis that I forced for christmas. It's finished blooming now, should I plant it or toss it in the compost heap? Can't remember if they bloom again once they've been forced.

Thanks-

 

[Imprfctme]

Quote:
Lol, too funny! We had squirrels do something similar with our second crop, but not so methodically.

 

[jomoncon]

Quote:
Every year, I get a couple of amaryllis bulbs for the house. Afterwards, I just plant them in the garden. Over the past 6 years, they have continued to bloom & multiply. They bloom in the springtime & not a Christmas time.

Just note, that I'm in zone 9, and they can survive outside. Check with a good reference to see if yours can survive outside in New York, or how to care for them where you are.

 

[Imprfctme]

Thanks Jo-anne! I think I can just keep it in an out-of-the way spot indoors until March and plant it outdoors. I'm in zone 7, not too cold here. If I get one more bloom out of it I'll be impressed. Now to keep the hens from eating it though!