chickens and gardens
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jimmyj
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We have quite a few chickens and we confine them at certain times of the year and let them range other times. As for the gardens, flower or veggie, they will really damage young plants and as indicated will also damage certain fruit.
They also scratch up soil and mulch looking for food and to take dust baths. My wife gets furious when her fancy gardens are all messed up due to this. On the flip side, once your gardens are very well established they seem to be OK and not to damage the plants. They eat TONS of bugs and pests and it is cute to see them running around on the 'range.'
Our chickens tend to free range in reasonable proximity to the coop, say within a 2 acre circle. Certainly if you have foxes and (even worse) domestic dogs running loose you will lose some. Also as said, lock up the coop at night to keep varmints like coons out. Skunks are interesting, they'll steal eggs and kill and eat mice but I have never lost a chicken to one. We even let one live in the coop this summer to get the mice under control.
After many years, we built a coop with a large enclosure so we have the option of managing the birds whatever way we want.
I have posted some of these pics before but we really like the aviary and coop and I think the birds do too!
They also scratch up soil and mulch looking for food and to take dust baths. My wife gets furious when her fancy gardens are all messed up due to this. On the flip side, once your gardens are very well established they seem to be OK and not to damage the plants. They eat TONS of bugs and pests and it is cute to see them running around on the 'range.'
Our chickens tend to free range in reasonable proximity to the coop, say within a 2 acre circle. Certainly if you have foxes and (even worse) domestic dogs running loose you will lose some. Also as said, lock up the coop at night to keep varmints like coons out. Skunks are interesting, they'll steal eggs and kill and eat mice but I have never lost a chicken to one. We even let one live in the coop this summer to get the mice under control.
After many years, we built a coop with a large enclosure so we have the option of managing the birds whatever way we want.
I have posted some of these pics before but we really like the aviary and coop and I think the birds do too!
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farmboy12
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They don't do as good as you'd think. In the garden, if the seeds have not yet sprouted or the sprouts are very small, they can peck them out. I suggest it you want free range bug control, get some guineas. We have two, we let them do whatever the chickens do. We often let them free range with the chickens in the fall. They are great to have around. Everybody asks about them. Their favorite bugs are mosquitoes and ticks, which are what humans worry about on them the most. They do make a lot of noise, which is part of the reason we got them. Because a few years ago a neighborhood popped up, and we needed more noise than chickens to bother them.
That said, let your chickens fertilize and clean up the garden in the fall, but they aren't the best for all year.
And about 20-30 minutes before the sun is completely set, they usually make their way back in, some however, will need to be "herded" in.
Have fun and good luck!
Kyle
That said, let your chickens fertilize and clean up the garden in the fall, but they aren't the best for all year.
And about 20-30 minutes before the sun is completely set, they usually make their way back in, some however, will need to be "herded" in.
Have fun and good luck!
Kyle
jimmyj
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Good point on the Guineas farmboy12.
Johndeere3720
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We dont let the chickens into the garden for a few reasons. They are like living backhoes, they dig holes everywhere. they uproot most plants that arent well established. Also, our roster isnt very fond of the dogs since they decided to attack him once. now he is very mean. So I have to have a shovel to stay safe. They also like to eat the veggies that we plant. So there wouldnt be anything left to harvest. They are best in the coop since the roster is in peace there, he wont attack in there for some reason.
Mike Costello
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I don't free range our chickens because of the preditor problem (coyotes, fox, coons, skunks, and hawks) which is the same as ringing the dinner bell! So, I built a coop with a roof and buried wire to keep them safe. No problems yet.
We're getting about 18 eggs a day and I thought we would be up to our ears in eggs, but the word got out--so the wife is in the egg business. She sells everthing we don't use for ourselves. Also have a couple of roosters because I like the early morning crowing (right on time at 5am). Don't use the alarm clock anymore!
We're getting about 18 eggs a day and I thought we would be up to our ears in eggs, but the word got out--so the wife is in the egg business. She sells everthing we don't use for ourselves. Also have a couple of roosters because I like the early morning crowing (right on time at 5am). Don't use the alarm clock anymore!
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chrisdvorak
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like was said you can free range at different times if you have the coop-fence built, i wouldn't free range in planting and harvesting season because they love tomatoes, strawberry's and pretty much anything else in the garden at that time but you can put them in the garden before and after you plant and harvest and they will fertilize and control weeds for you. the other problem with chickens if you have a lot of lawn and not a lot of exposed dirt and don't have a coop yard for them to go in is take dust-baths, they will scratch up the lawn and make holes everywhere that would twist and ankle or berry a small tire in no time at all. i also take all manure from inside the coop and put it in a big pile that i turn every so often and at the begging of every summer i put it all in the garden and its the best compost that you can find
OP
quackaddict
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bunch of good information here. thanks a ton guys
MarkV
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Another option is a chicken tractor. Basically a coop and pen on skids that you move around as needed so the birds have a new grazing area.
MarkV
MarkV
Another thing to consider is that all breeds differ. Some are more social, some are best free ranged while others are best in a run. Some will come running and stay at your side while you work outside all day. Others will rarely be seen it left to free range, and will likely wonder off and roost in a tree until they are eaten. Do some research and look for the details about each breed.
