Protecting fruit trees from your chickens

[CrystalAnon]

We have had major issues with chickens scratching up our soil around our young fruit trees, to where they were exposing roots. They seem to think the perlite in our planting soil is super tasty.
At first we had hardware cloth encircling the trees. That was a pain when it came to mowing, weeding & fertilizing. Eventually pruning.
One day I had the idea of throwing some wood/branches from our property around the bottom of the trees, so the chickens can’t scratch up the soil. Put mulch down first, then arranged the branches & sticks around the bottom of the tree. It gives even a little extra shade to the mulch/soil when it’s really hot out. I’ve also seen some mushroom activity on the pieces of wood, which I know is usually really good for the tree as well. Posting pics here. Our young peach tree & cherry tree.
Just thought I’d offer this tip, if anyone is having difficulty finding a solution when you have fruit trees and free-ranging chickens.
It’s worked really well for us so far!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens do like to scratch out mulch. We use the rubber tree rings around our younger tree.

 

[CrystalAnon]

The cherry tree has a cattle-panel ring around it, for the deer. The chickens can squeeze through. The deer can too, but they don’t seem to like sticking their head through the cattle paneling, so they don’t.

 

[CrystalAnon]

Chickens do like to scratch out mulch. We use the rubber tree rings around our younger tree.

They sure do! The only young fruit plants I have had to keep hardware cloth on is the mulberry shrubs (at this age, not trees or even bushes yet)! They LOVE mulberry leaves! They’ll pick it clean, if allowed.

 

[WildNectarine]

We have had major issues with chickens scratching up our soil around our young fruit trees, to where they were exposing roots. They seem to think the perlite in our planting soil is super tasty.
At first we had hardware cloth encircling the trees. That was a pain when it came to mowing, weeding & fertilizing. Eventually pruning.
One day I had the idea of throwing some wood/branches from our property around the bottom of the trees, so the chickens can’t scratch up the soil. Put mulch down first, then arranged the branches & sticks around the bottom of the tree. It gives even a little extra shade to the mulch/soil when it’s really hot out. I’ve also seen some mushroom activity on the pieces of wood, which I know is usually really good for the tree as well. Posting pics here. Our young peach tree & cherry tree.
Just thought I’d offer this tip, if anyone is having difficulty finding a solution when you have fruit trees and free-ranging chickens.
It’s worked really well for us so far!

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[CrystalAnon]

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View attachment 4148843

That’s a cool option, but our fruit trees are too big for these. Plus I want pollinators to be able to get to their flowers.
This would be cool for smaller plants, for sure!

 

[CrystalAnon]

That’s a cool option, but our fruit trees are too big for these. Plus I want pollinators to be able to get to their flowers.
This would be cool for smaller plants, for sure!

Plus, the wood was free!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Plus, the wood was free!

Just be careful it doesn't attract rodents. They will chew up the bark. The biggest concern would be during winter. The warm months it should work fine, and is a great idea.

 

[WildNectarine]

That’s a cool option, but our fruit trees are too big for these. Plus I want pollinators to be able to get to their flowers.
This would be cool for smaller plants, for sure!

Can always make a trip to the fabric store and find a mesh big enough for the pollinators you want to enter, but small enough to keep the destructors out, and use some twigs or wire to construct the same basic thing.

 

[CrystalAnon]

Just be careful it doesn't attract rodents. They will chew up the bark. The biggest concern would be during winter. The warm months it should work fine, and is a great idea.

Yes!! A large wood pile could def attract rodents. But I think the way I set them up, they would be a bit too exposed for their liking… To rain, sun & my cat!
Plus we water once a week when it’s not raining. So it’s likely not dry enough for them either.