|
|
|
New Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/22/2009 12:25:22 PM
Posts: 54,
Visits: 50
|
|
| I was recently reading an article in a gardening magazine I subscribe to that advocated letting chickens have run of the garden once the plants are established. Now this sounds well and fine as we are run over with squash bugs and Japanese bettles, but won't they assault the produce? Especially tomatos and other red vegies/fruits when they ripen? I am sick to death of seeing all my hard work become bug houses but also want to not turn it into the chicken's smorgasbord. Anyone ever try this? Results? Thought on the idea? Next year, it is no till for me but til then I would love to salvage some of this year's crop!!
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 8:15:30 PM
Posts: 167,
Visits: 589
|
|
My chickens tend to run loose in my garden (they jump a 6 ft fence to get there & they have thier wings clipped, but only short enough to keep them from flying once they molt they have thier full wing feathers back) and yes they do eat some of the veggies but I find they eat more bugs then they do veggies. Right now it's been cool & wet enough that I haven't had many bugs so they've been eatting zucchini but they haven't touched any of the plants that are still trying to get going so far.
Lord keep your arm around my shoulder & your hand over my mouth
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/30/2009 6:50:45 PM
Posts: 170,
Visits: 125
|
|
I have foxes and neighbourhood dogs to watch for, so, I let my chickens run loose about an hour before roost time. That way they get out, clean up my bugs and aren't running all day. Oh yes, while they are out, I'm out working in the garden or just sitting with a coffee or wine watching them. In the spring when the plants are just starting, if they started eating the plants, I simply shewed them away. Now, as long as they aren't demolishing the plants I don't worry. They certainly don't eat as much as the deer that also likes my garden.
I'd give it a try - give them the hour and watch and see what happens.
|
|
|
|
|
Average Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 6:17:56 PM
Posts: 657,
Visits: 710
|
|
| Like others...our flock "hops over" a 6 ft fence. But they've gotten smarter, now they take turns so I can't find homes from them or I won't have any chickens left (LOL). We let out our 30 once I had enough picking for the season. Sure even with them in a mature garden we can "make due" with what they leave alone. But I've watch 4 start at one point and work all day to the end of the garden by the house and wipe it clean with the young mustard plants that my son puts out to grow for flowers. My parents bring up 30 to 40 bags of oak leaves (in the fall) and puts them in one huge pile and takes beats on how long it will take the oldest 4 to level the leaves out in the garden and then how long it will take them to push the leaves out of the garden (of course that was last year when the other 26 were still in the holding pen).
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/30/2009 6:50:45 PM
Posts: 170,
Visits: 125
|
|
| Oak leaves. Now I use leaves for mulching in the fall never thought to put them in the chicken coop. Thanks for the tip, I'm going to try that this year. Love giving those ladies treats!
|
|
|
|
|
New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/10/2009 12:29:18 PM
Posts: 65,
Visits: 172
|
|
| I think if you give your chickens unrestricted access to your garden, you may be in for trouble. If you want to use them for bug control, the best way to do it would be to let them in for an hour at a time, best time being at the end of the day before they go home to roost, as others have mentioned. Now, the one problem with this scenario, if you have chickens with even half a brain, they may remember that they got some good stuff in the garden the previous day, and they may not wait for you to open the gates and let them in. Then, you end up with birds like mine, that like to spend a good portion of their day in the garden. At that point, all bets are off. They are no longer restricted to bugs, and they are devouring plants and fruits alike. Also, it's a disaster if you are trying to grow things from seed, because the chickens just scratch everything up. I love my chickens for pest control, but I let them do it outside the fencing around my gardens while I'm growing. I find it much more effective to companion plant for pest control inside the garden, and trust that my overall pest population is reduced by the chickens running free everywhere else. Of course, that's just my experience - I have a mixed flock of rare breed hens - I don't know that this is true for all breeds.
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/21/2009 10:22:21 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
|
|
We make our garden the chicken run for three months a year, Dec thru Feb. they eat all the remnant plants, weeds, seed and bugs. When planting time comes they've done a great job of fertilizing and till the soil too. Then we move them back to their regular run, which we seeded and have let grow with clover and grasses.
We find that like weeding insect control works well if you wipe them out once or twice a year with the chickens. Then there isn't much left the following season. It won't get every bug, but greatly controls them.
We are in the Pacific Northwest and I have had 1 and only 1 slug in the garden the entire year. Now that's some serious control!
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/22/2009 3:48:01 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
|
|
I'm new and have my first chicks. I've read in your posts that your chickens are jumping 6 foot fences. I have only three hens and plan to keep thier wings clipped. Is there a good chance they've jup my 4 foot fence? I have so much to learn.
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/9/2009 6:16:49 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 29
|
|
| I'm considering a couple of guinea hens. I've read that they love bugs (especially ticks) and will leave the fruits and veggie plants alone. Anyone know about this?
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 5:50:53 AM
Posts: 47,
Visits: 224
|
|
| Guinea hens love bugs and do a pretty good job keeping them down. My neighbor has 4 and they keep his small garden pretty bug free. My garden was loaded with potato bugs but his was clear. Ken
|
|
|
|