Will my chickens destroy my vegetable garden?

[bigoledude]

I am going to plant a vegetable garden starting now Jan. 26. I will be planting onions, shallots, and leeks now. Next I'm planting Swiss Chard followed by tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and eggplants. There may be some additional stuff also planted.

Are the chickens gonna require me to fence-off my garden? They will have access to acres of area to forage in, without needing to invade my garden. Do they bother some vegetables worse than others?

 

[justbugged]

Yes they will rip a planted garden apart. Just let them play in the garden after harvest.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

The short answer is yes.

Not sure if they will go after onions, shallots, leeks, or peppers but they will certainly enjoy the other things if you let them have access. I know my birds love to ransack the yard.

 

[marcumbackyardfarms]

They did ours last year, nothing grew at all. Everytime something started it was eaten quickly. We are going to try raised beds this year with some fencing around them.

 

[elizabethbinary]

I grow in the front yard and have the chickens in the back/sides. Once my chickens escaped. I had no tomatoes that year. Or peppers. Or rosellas. Or corn. Or beans.

 

[NYREDS]

Not if you fence either the garden or the chickens. I'd recommend the chickens.

 

[chick-in-florida]

without a doubt they will devour everything in your garden. we have our garden inside a big cage. but then again i mostly grow stuff just so the chickens can eat it! and since i've had chickens i look at weeds in a whole new light - treasures!

 

[BayouPoules]

FENCE!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:

Most definitely.

 

[Catstar68]

Chickens are miniature rototillers. Say goodbye to the garden if they get into it.
On the other hand, your soil will be aerated and fertilized so you try again next year.