will decorative fencing keep them out of the flower beds?

[technodoll]

then I don't know what to do!

I want to let the girls free-range but last year when I let them have a go at it from August until end of November, they WRECKED our flower beds and we will have nothing this spring, we have to start from scratch all over again. Tulip bulbs dug up, bushes eaten, holes dug - you name it.

This time I want to incorporate some kind of fencing that will keep the girls out while keeping it looking nice, our two flower beds are in front of the house, narrow strips on each side of the entry way.

I'm thinking of just putting a few bush-flowers and small cedar trees with lots of mulch but NO CHICKENS are allowed!

They can wreck the rest of the gardens as they're not important

Any ideas, suggestions?

 

[rungirl]

The chickens tear up tender annual flowers pretty easily, but I don't plant many annuals anyway. They seem to leave my tougher perennials alone and I have a lot of perennials in my landscape. Actually, they love to get underneath my small shrubs and scratch around in the mulch, which helps with weed control. They like the shady north side of my house during the summer, sitting under the hydrangea bushes during the heat of the day. Maybe you could get away with some flowers on south side where it's hot and sunny all day.

 

[critterranch]

yes i forgot about my roses they dont touch them.they lay eggs in my tiger lilly bushes. after they died off in fall i found over 40 eggs one year. the tiger lillys are the best cause i dont do anything and they still grow and spread. i have tulips , daffidils, iriss they dont bother the flowers its the mulch and bugs they are after. with the dust bathing in my mulch i have to rebury my tulip blubs sometimes in august. cause they dig them up dust bathing. i pretty much gave up on flowers just sticking with what ever i have now. if i do buy any new its roses bushes or hanging plants for my shepards hook.

thanks the pic is of my daughter when she was 22 months old holding a silkie hen. those silkies just stand their like duh! pick me up please!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

My chickens would go over 4 foot fencing to get to yummy plants.

Check out this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=444703

 

[willkatdawson]

They just won't be able to keep their hungry little beaks off all those tender paid for plants. I tell you this from experience. They also think any kind of landscape material like pine straw or pine bark looks much better spread out all over the yard.
www.thewannabecountrygirl.com

 

[gordonburrito]

You could always plant more perennial native plants that have thick root mats. Such as Joe Pye Weed, queen of the prairie, jeursalem artichoke, or any sort of native cone flower. My chickens don't seem to like the greenery on those plants and they can't dig very well into their thick root mats. Diseases resistant roses are also a good idea. Plus you'll attract a whole host of beneficial insects, gain some nice shade cover for your girls, and they very easy to weed/care for. The plants in the pic are all wimpy annuals! Doomed from the start

 

[technodoll]

thanks everyone!

looks like we'll have to be inventive...

the flocks have acres of green grass to roam on, a dozen "crap" gardens to dig in, plenty of shaded areas and bushes and manure piles to root through - name it they got it!

I only want to protect this one area in front of our house and need to be aggressive about it, otherwise they'll be locked up in their small run and that just sucks for everyone.

*scratches head, still without a solution... GRRR!*

 

[tazcat70]

I had a 2 ft chicken wire fence around my tomatoes. For the most part they stayed out of them. I think all summer long I only had 2 get in there.

 

[602800001691]

Depends... our girls hopped a fenced-in run we had (where we were more concerned about predators than keeping them from getting into things they shouldn't) & we finally had to screen in the top to keep them from getting out. But, when they are in our front yard that has only a 3' high picket-style fence, they stay and never hop or fly out. I assume it's because they can see us and have no desire to leave. They like to sit on the front porch and look in through the screen door into my kitchen.

 

[cybercat]

Alot depends on the size and weight and how hungry the chickens are when it comes to fencing. A 2 to 3 foot close wood slat garden fence would work if up early before plants come in. Keep them out now and they will not desire to get in later. I free range also and when spring comes I will have fencing up around area I do not want them in. It works with my large breed but for something light weight like sexlinks I am not so sure. My free range all year too no matter if there is snow on the ground or not. Train now to avoid area means more chance of them staying out in spring.