GemmaGA
Songster
Northeast GA - but the weather/climate is not the reason I won't plant again...read on!
So, since we got chickens in the spring, I planted a chicken garden in the yard area we have closed off for the chickens just outside the coop while we were planting our regular garden by the house. In that garden, I specifically planted plants/herbs that were safe for chickens to eat. The plants were doing great, had some really nice pumpkin plants that took off and were spreading nicely along with some butternut squash plants.
When the chicks were little they paid no attention to the plants. They are 20 weeks old now, and starting about a month ago, they DEVOURED everything in the garden. Including all of my pumpkin and butternut squash plants. The Butternut plants had started putting out fruit/squash and the chickens didn't bother with them. But, they ate the plants' leaves all the way down to the stalk in a matter of days.
And just like that, no more hopes of pumpkin or squash for a fall harvest. RIP Chicken Garden. Won't be doing that next year!
So, since we got chickens in the spring, I planted a chicken garden in the yard area we have closed off for the chickens just outside the coop while we were planting our regular garden by the house. In that garden, I specifically planted plants/herbs that were safe for chickens to eat. The plants were doing great, had some really nice pumpkin plants that took off and were spreading nicely along with some butternut squash plants.
When the chicks were little they paid no attention to the plants. They are 20 weeks old now, and starting about a month ago, they DEVOURED everything in the garden. Including all of my pumpkin and butternut squash plants. The Butternut plants had started putting out fruit/squash and the chickens didn't bother with them. But, they ate the plants' leaves all the way down to the stalk in a matter of days.
And just like that, no more hopes of pumpkin or squash for a fall harvest. RIP Chicken Garden. Won't be doing that next year!