Will my chickens destroy my vegetable garden?

[sheaviance1]

When I first got my chickens, I had a romanticized vision of how it would be. The chickens would ease down the rows of my garden and work on bug removal while I weeded peacefully beside them. Last spring, my chickens fueled this fantasy. When they were little, I would put them in the garden with me while I worked so they could get some sunshine, and my idyllic image was true to life, they chased bugs, i weeded (not very much actually because I was too busy laughing at the chicks). My large garden is located in an area that is surrounded by a six foot chainlink fence. They easily fly over it every single day. During the hot months of summer, I don't have to worry too much about them getting in the garden because my girls tend to stick to the shade. However, in the evenings, we found ourselves sitting outside for the sole purpose of shooshing the chickens from the garden. We had two gardens last year. A three sisters garden in the small plot (unfenced area) where we grew summer and winter squash, corn and beans. They didn't bother this garden at all. They went for the large salad bar garden where we grew "the good stuff". As much as I hate to do it, they will have a temporary fence around them until my seedlings have a chance to grow and get established. They will only free-range when I am home to shoosh them.

 

[abqferreira]

Quote:
Your story sounds quite familiar. After a year of having all our starts eaten, we now have raised beds with covers which we put on when we let the chickens out! Most of the time they are happy to dig through the compost, but it never fails that they eventually find their way to the bed that didn't get covered. We had cabbages that "were" almost 12 in diameter this winter...sigh.

 

[Lbrad7]

Yes

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm sorry, I didn't get past, "I am going to plant a vegetable garden starting now Jan. 26." Can I come help? We have over 3' of snow on the ground here, with 9" predicted for today. I'd love to come help dig in the dirt, plant stuff, and even chase your chickens out of it. I'll go home when it starts getting hot down there, I promise!

 

[bigoledude]

Hey Bobbi-j

We have picked pounds and pounds of Sugar-Snap peas all winter. The cabbages, cauliflowers and broccoli were HUGE this year! My favorite is the delicious Swiss Chard we have in abundance all winter, along with the spinach and lettuces. Turnips and their greens are a favorite for my friends. My onions and shallots are in the ground and already sprouted. This sounds wonderful, I know, to all of you snow-bound folks.

BUT, when June, July, August and September rolls around with temps in the mid-90s with the humidity also in the mid-90s my plants literally decompose before our eyes! By the time I walk to the garden, I am soaked through-n-through. The stores and shops are empty. No one hardly leaves the house. To me, there is not a more miserable weather situation than this. Only cucumbers and melons tolerate these times.

How do you think my chickens will endure this blast-from-Hades?

 

[Moochie]

Last year our first 7 destroyed my mom's squash, eggplant, and grape (oh those tasty grapes! i liked em too!).
My dad said chickens take care of bugs in the garden?

 

[bobbi-j]

Yep, I'm officially jealous! Sigh... Although, I'll have to admit I don't envy your summer weather at all. We sometimes get 90's and humidity, but not like you do. You can keep that.

What kind of blast-from-hades are you expecting? If it's cold and wind, your chickens will do fine if they can be out of the wind.

 

[Mrs. Feathers]

Yes...and in no time. However, they make great weeding and soil turning buddies at the end of harvest or before planting.
AND they can help by giving you really nice compost.
I have heard muscovy ducks are great for keeping out bugs and slugs without destroying plants....but then again I can find any exuse for adding to our family!

 

[greenSearcher]

My garden is surrounded by 6' fence w/ gate, and chicken wire over the chain link for the bottom 3 feet. Only found 1 rabbit once. Clipped the chickens wings when I tried to confine them in the unplanted garden and they flew over the fence, so now I clip regularly. Just did 2 flocks, and will do the third when I finish their coop. They are thinking they are permanent garage residents. Ugh.... They are in a pen as large as the coop and run, but frankly I am not about to put nest boxes in there.
The only way you will have a harvest is the fence, and protective coverings of agribon cloth on frames. Even if I can keep the chickens out, there are still the demmed grasshoppers. I also use chicken wire cages to temporarily cover plantings until they are large enough or tall enough to be safe from the girls. My gardens aren't particularly decorative, good thing we are in the country.

Once this blast of winter is past, I have to go outside and clean the garden, will be time to plant cool weather crops next month. In TX we also have that terminal heat from the Fourth until Labor day, but the squash loves it, so I will have lots of winter squash growing (the girls love that) and sweet potatoes. My first effort at sweet potatoes last year, had 9 plants that grew WELL, that yielded more than a 100 lbs of potatoes, so I dehydrated lots and the rest are under the bed. Chickens like those too.

But as everyone said FENCE.

 

[ker0412]

Some items in the garden they may not bother. Keeping a watchful eye I let them forage through my young squash plants. They mostly look for bugs or anything moving. But the moment I notice them pecking at plants they're out!
But all chicks are different.