run area inside veggie garden

[Katzinthehat]

Thanks a bunch guys! all of you probly just saved my parent's marrage-> my dad was promising my mom no more bugs in the garden. Though it was a thunderstorm on my dad's parade

 

[FractalFarmer]

My chickens were quite destructive in the garden. We got them at the tail end of the summer growing season, so we weren't too upset about losing the last of the zucchinis and some of the tomatoes to our lovely new pets. But I am certain that the charm will wear off fast, so fencing is in order.

Can somebody recommend a good fencing system? I got some 3' high plastic fencing for my failed winter garden, but it was a joke. I don't know whether my seeds failed to germinate, or were just snatched up as soon as they did. They fly right over the fence, and often either perch on the top or just lounge in the netting like a hammock once they've got it to sag a bit. How high does it need to be?

 

[beak]

We had about 40 tomato plants. Our chickens were flying out of their run and my wife let them. They went in the garden to eat pests. We figured it was cool. The tomato plants all flowered and turned red. My wife thought we had a record crop. She went to harvest the tomatoes and the chickens had eaten the insides on all of them. They left the skins on the vines.

However last year we had a real dry summer and fall the year before and we had millions of grasshoppers. Our tomatoes were to the stage where they were green but nowhere near red yet. We let our chickens loose on them and they ate all the grasshoppers. Didn't touch the tomatoes.

 

[muddler6]

Quote:
I agree with what everyone else has said so far, but I was also cought by you idea of a "grassy run" for you chickens. It may start that way, but they will have it all gone fairly quickly, once that happens just focus on cleaning it out everyonce in a while, I put straw in mine and they like to pick at it for the first few days to get all the seeds, and in a couple months it is mashed down and broken up into just about nothing, I rake it to the run door and scoop it all out for the compost bin. Egg layers aren't too bad, meat birds are poop machines and make a big mess.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Meet my banty cochin, Tribble. This was the day that she taught my standards (then chicks) that my pepper plants were yummmmmmyy. You will notice that the left planted has lacy pepper plants. This was not how they were intended to be. I think the chicks were saving the right planter for dessert.

Chickens: 1
Jenn: 0

 

[#1California Chick]

Welcome to BYC!! As you can see -- you will always get LOTS of input!!!

I think that the Chicken MOAT is a wonderful idea!!!! Not practical in MY garden!!!! -- But a wonderful idea!!!

Given that chickens will strip a lawn area under a tractor in just a day or two -- I would not let them loose in my garden -- the lettuce would be GONE in minutes!!!! Anything that lasted more than a day would just be due to preferance!!!

Welcome again!!!

Cindy

 

[beak]

Good luck keeping them in. We gave up and just cut their primary feathers. You cut them on one side only. They still try to fly and will get over a 6 ft fence. However it takes so much effort they only do it once. The reason you only cut one side is because it unbalances their flight. If you cut both sides they can fly but they have to try twice as hard. If you cut one side they have to flap twice as hard and then try to compensate and it's too much for them.We haven't had any problems since. I'm hoping by the time they grow back the chickens will just think they can't fly.

As far as a 3ft fence goes.I think most birds would jump over that. Get some 7ft t-post and a driver and put up some 6ft wire fence. It has 2x4 holes and will keep all but chicks in. Post hole drivers cost about 30 dollars but are well worth it. When using one watch for the white on the t-post when your raising the driver. If you raise it past the top of the post it is very top heavy and will hit you in the head. It hurts really bad and can give you a concussion. Voice of experience here.

It cost more to do it right but loosing your garden to a hodge podge fence just sucks.

 

[babsh]

Quote:
It sounds like i'm in the minority here, but I do allow my chickens limited access to my garden. I have 10 hens (5 standard/5 bantam) and a medium sized garden (about 300 sq. ft.). I learned quickly that they HAD to stay out when the plants are small (they pulled out half of my corn plants when they were a few inches high). But once the plants were big and before there was a lot of ripe tomatoes, they were allowed in. They ate a lot of bugs for me. They loved slugs and eliminated them from my lettuce and broccoli. Unfortunately, they do not like squash bugs.

The key was to keep an eye on them. I am sure they would have wreaked havoc if they were allowed hours of unsupervised time amongst the veggies. And once the tomatoes were really ripe, I had to either keep them away or pick the lower ripe ones. I had so many, it was not a big deal to lose a few here and there.

Barb

 

[Hattie the Hen]

I don't agree! Sorry folks, but you have to change your mind-set. I have six or seven chickens free-ranging in the main part of my garden year-round. I have 3.roos who have their own run. the main garden is like a miniature woodland, full of shrubs and trees of various sizes--perfect for chickens, They are very happy there and have lots of shelter in hot or wet and windy weather and from the many Red Kites we have around here. They don't really damage anything that you would notice because it's basicly a green woodland space. I grow a lot of clematis and climbing Old Engish roses in amongst all this and a fair amount of bulbs in the late winter and spring. The chicken love to eat the rose petals when they fall to the ground. Then I have raised beds for the vegetables. These I fence off while I have stuff in them as that is too tempting to them. I am just adding to these beds at the moment so I can grow more veggies ,. I have an area which has soft fruit--mostly raspberries which I love. The chickens are allowed in this area and they do eat a few berries but there are plenty for all of us. The greatest temptation for them is the black mulberry tree---to see the roos jumping for the berries, as gifts to their girls, is so funny it's worth loosing the berries!! I'm just preparing an area for the chickens and sowing it with greens, herbs etc that grow fast. I'll divide it in two so I can resow when they have wrecked it. In the small front garden I grow flowers and herbs and I have a very small patch of grass--I absolutely hate grass-cutting--So I dont know how much longer this will last. I'll post some photos of my little flock in their English woodland paradise later in the year. It's too cold out their now, it;s well below zero and has been for about three weeks and very windy at times. So friends start to think like a chicken and make a different kind of a garden---I find the woodland kind very restful, all of those different shapes of leaves and shades of green and the sudden glimpes of my happy chicken popping out from under the trees and srubs, rushing up to me for treats-----it's a joy!!So goodbye for now from an English eccentric who loves BYC. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

 

[beak]

I wish I could afford raised beds for my vegetables. I'm too old and fat to bend over all the time. I'm thinking about using some hoops over the veggies and putting chicken wire over them with straw around the plants. Then let the chickens run loose to keep the bugs down and hopefully eat some weeds. Think that would work?