Topic of the Week - Gardening with Chickens

[sukie]

As it is autumn I am letting our four chickens out to forage in the the garden instead of confining them to the run. We have a lot of mulch from small truckloads of tree/shrub shreddings that we can have delivered for free (it saves the company money from having to take them to the dump). The chickens love to pick through it but can kick it onto the lawn, which makes a mess. So I have tried to make sure that the shreddings are far enough back in the borders that the hens can peck about to their heart's content but without spoiling the grass.No doubt they are hastening the composting of these chippings so it seems a very environmentally friendly solution!

 

[scifisam]

My coop and run have a green roof on which I grow beetroot, various lettuce types, onions, garlic, pak choi, etc. I also have hanging baskets hanging from it full of watercress, mustard and alfalfa, mostly as treats for the chickens (also some flowers). More hanging baskets and pots over the fence. Several fruit trees, which they don't harm at all, and a large cold frame. Their waste all gets chucked in a plastic compost bin.

At the moment they free range under supervision in the rest of the garden, but I'm fencing off the area above. I've had a couple of chickens before that destroyed everything they came near but for some reason these ones aren't that bad at all as long as I keep strong temptations green leafy veg or strawberries out of their reach.

 

[JessicaAnn]

I love how your pic looks next to Sue's! It really is the opposite.

 

[rowboattom]

We have apx 40 chickens, layers, roosters for meat, some meat birds these are chicks now. and two groups of 5 month pullets
As they grow we cut their wing feathers to keep them out of the garden. They love our broccoli and kale, we do three crops a year.
We also rotate our grass into 5 sections so we can grow new grass as needed.
The chickens get all the veggy cutting, leaves, grass clipping ( from the neighbors) and have a big compost heap. These are most happy chickens until they get in the way of my wife's knife then they are in the freezer or soup pot.
We love our 1/4 acre farm and grow an amazing amount of food. The chicken free range in the back yard

 

[lazy gardener]

We have apx 40 chickens, layers, roosters for meat, some meat birds these are chicks now. and two groups of 5 month pullets
As they grow we cut their wing feathers to keep them out of the garden. They love our broccoli and kale, we do three crops a year.
We also rotate our grass into 5 sections so we can grow new grass as needed.
The chickens get all the veggy cutting, leaves, grass clipping ( from the neighbors) and have a big compost heap. These are most happy chickens until they get in the way of my wife's knife then they are in the freezer or soup pot.
We love our 1/4 acre farm and grow an amazing amount of food. The chicken free range in the back yard

It gives me a lot of pleasure to hear about folks who are doing what they can with the land they have available to grow their own food. Kudos to you. You are an inspiration.

 

[BuckeyeCluck]

I'm new to the chicken game having bought 12 chicks this past February. Well all 12 grew up and happily putter around my large garden with me. They love to watch me dig holes so they can dive in and eat whatever unlucky bug is there. They are a lot of fun to watch meander around BUT they ate every freakin hosta I had. What they didn't eat were my marigolds, petunias, and all the larger woody perennials I have. But if it's small and juicy they ate it. I'd like to say they kept the aphids off the tomatoes but they ate the tomatoes...and strawberries and rhubarb (down to the ground!). I should mention they have a five acre pasture they could pulverize but they seem to prefer the garden. Lucky for them I love my chickens and I don't mean deep fried either. Next year I will have to put up netting to keep them away from certain areas. This year was a learning experience and my flowers were collateral damage.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm new to the chicken game having bought 12 chicks this past February. Well all 12 grew up and happily putter around my large garden with me. They love to watch me dig holes so they can dive in and eat whatever unlucky bug is there. They are a lot of fun to watch meander around BUT they ate every freakin hosta I had. What they didn't eat were my marigolds, petunias, and all the larger woody perennials I have. But if it's small and juicy they ate it. I'd like to say they kept the aphids off the tomatoes but they ate the tomatoes...and strawberries and rhubarb (down to the ground!). I should mention they have a five acre pasture they could pulverize but they seem to prefer the garden. Lucky for them I love my chickens and I don't mean deep fried either. Next year I will have to put up netting to keep them away from certain areas. This year was a learning experience and my flowers were collateral damage.

I enjoyed the humor in your post! You got Buckeyes? Or are you from Ohio? If the former, give me your opinion on Buckeyes, please! Either way, welcome to BYC. Deer netting can be bought in a 100' roll, cut in half to yield 200' and placed around any plantings by weaving fiberglass posts through it. It becomes almost invisible, and can easily be stepped over by releasing the clothes pin that holds it up on the post, and pushing the fencing down a bit. Because the chickens don't bother to look up, or from their perspective can't see where it ends, they bounce off it a few times, then give up.

 

[Jiffyrocks]

My coop and run have a green roof on which I grow beetroot, various lettuce types, onions, garlic, pak choi, etc. I also have hanging baskets hanging from it full of watercress, mustard and alfalfa, mostly as treats for the chickens (also some flowers). More hanging baskets and pots over the fence. Several fruit trees, which they don't harm at all, and a large cold frame. Their waste all gets chucked in a plastic compost bin.

At the moment they free range under supervision in the rest of the garden, but I'm fencing off the area above. I've had a couple of chickens before that destroyed everything they came near but for some reason these ones aren't that bad at all as long as I keep strong temptations green leafy veg or strawberries out of their reach. 

I know this thread/topic is old, but I'm new so that makes this reply ok, right?!
I would love to see a pic of your set up; it sounds beautiful!

 

[6littlegirls]

My girls are wintering in my greenhouse. When I plant in the spring plants it will already be well ferterlized.

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

I make a small short fence out of T-posts and green netting. That normally keeps out the birds. And the deer! We let them into the garden before and after growing season so the birdies can root around and eat slugs and such. I have seen them leave alone bean stalks, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn. They love radishes, carrots, and normally just kill the plants by scratching up the roots. I love composting! I have three piles going I love using old bedding full of poo.