Rolo Rabbit Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 (edited) I just thought I'd put this in for any prospective chook owners who are worried that they'll end up with no garden. That was a major concern for us but we decided to go for it anyway. Having arrived at my favourite gardening month, I would say that ,yes, they do nibble at some favourite plants and I wouldn't bother putting in any annuals. Yes, they do scratch about in the borders and make dustbaths in the lawn. BUT they also do all the weeding for me, they turn the soil over and give the plants room to breathe and our lawn is doing just as well as it was this time last year when we had Green thumb looking after it and the chooks free-range at least 3- 4 hours a day. Most of our shrubs were pretty well established and they all look extremely healthy. I've put hanging baskets up to make up for the lack of annuals so all in all I'm really pleased that we went for it. Having said that, we did build a walk-in run which I imagine makes quite a difference to the amount of lawn damage but as far as I'm aware, lots of Eglu owners seem to place it on a permanent site which does the job just as well. Edited June 16, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMO Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Same here! We have adapted the garden and the plants we put in to avoid chicken damage. We still manage to grow our own veg in containers and have splashes of floral colour where possible. I have not done any weeding in over 18 months and no longer have to tackle 3 inch slugs with my trowel! I often get compliments from hen party attendees about the garden and the fact that there is no smell from having hens in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Same here! My garden is full of Perennials, and this year it looks as good as any other year They do have a large run but are out most days for about 4 hours. Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 this is one thing my chickens are good at! My plants are un touched apart from a small area they have claimed for a dustbath. The grass took a battering over the winter - but that is my fault really as I should have fenced it off. Are we in the minority here?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 See my reply, with pictures under 'can you prevent chcikens from scratching?' - they can be managed so you have a garden and the hens still enjoy themselves in the garden. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Apart from scratching the bark onto the paths and lawn they don't seem to do much damage. I've got a couple of small plants and they do tend to step onto them but the damage is minimal. I have quite a few large shrubs, grasses etc. The lawn is never going to be perfect - I have a dog! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I'm afraid mine have dug up or eaten everything they can get to except the shrubs! We restrict them with the Omlet netting but they dig really deep holes in the flowerbeds. They have dug up all the dahlias and the lilly bulbs but have not damaged the lawn at all. The damage seems to be worse because they systematically descend on one flower bed and start clearing. On the positive side they have cleared and levelled an overgrown flowerbed and produced the text book fine tilth. Would be great to replant but they'd think it was a running buffet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 i would have to agree my garden has not suffered at all. i too have a walk in run, but mine free-range 6hours a day more on the weekend. i have got a bigish garden and i dont plant annuals apart from in pots. my only complaint is i have alot of areas of stones which they love to scratch onto the lawn, which i have to remove before mowing my garden doesnt smell either best thing ever chickens in gardens, makes them come alive sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 We already had large established shrubs so, apart form them devouring my lemon balm, my plants haven't suffered at all. I haven't had to weed the borders since i got the girls. They always dust bathe in the same place so we got an underbed storage box and put it in the same place and they use that willingly. This means we can regulate what they are bathing in. No more slugs or snails in the garden and the chooks add a beauty to the garden which i never thought was possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 The only real damage my chooks have done to garden are the craters in lawn from where they've been dust bathing.Have to watch where you walk or otherwise you'll break an ankle..! Infact earlier,i went round with a spade filling all the holes,but i guess by now they've been dug up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I too have worked out ways to have freeranging chooks and a pretty good garden. I find that planting the perennials close together in the beds tends to deter them as they can't easily get through. I have just big shrubs at the back of the garden under which they have room to peck, scratch and dig large dust baths to their hearts' content, which means that although they eat the grass on the lawn, they don't seem to actually dig there, so everyone is happy. When I put in new plants which are still a bit delicate, I put coils of wire netting round them till they're big enough to defend themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clash City Rocker Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 No real damage to my garden. I'm really impressed with the Omlet netting, we're able to let the chickens roam free for a long part of the day while the netting helps keeps the borders intact !!! This photo was taken today (16.06.08 ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLK69 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 my garden would never have won any award before - at least now the borders are weed free (if also plant free) but that is our choice. The grass is fine too a small price to pay for so much chookiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Huggers R Us Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Just to add... I think our garden is looking the nicest this year than it ever has. We have loads of baskets hung around the garden with flowers, strawberries and herbs etc. We have put netting around the bases of the new shrubs and this has foxed them. Planting large Cordyline plants has stopped them making dustbaths in the bedding areas and have allowed one specific area for them to use under a shrub. The only area that has been damaged on the lawn is directly under the bird feeder as they scratched around for any seeds that had dropped, now we have plants and baskets hung on there now instead and have put green plastic netting over the bald bits of lawn fastened with tent pegs until it grows back. And our chooks are out free ranging from 7am Till 10PM every day.!! Plus I agree that they make gorgeous additions to the landscape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheik Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Related post: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26810#443673 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Great - I have just dug up a load of heathers on a flower bed right in front of our patio doors, enclosing our patio area. Looking forward to our girls finishing off the digging and weeding of it for me Seriously any good ideas for something perrenial (sp?) that I could plant there that would add a bit of colour, look nice and not be trampled on or eaten to bits by the chooks. My herb patch is looking gorgeous in the next bed adjacent to it but obviously is completely enclosed in netting - would love to be able to avoid doing that here I'm not very good at planting marigolds etc every year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Rabbit Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 One plant that looks lovely at the moment and I think it stays flowering for quite a while is my sage - I think it's called pineapple sage and it grows into a medium sized bush which I cut back each spring. The leaves smell gorgeous - not quite pineapple but herby and mediterranean. The chooks haven't even touched it. Also surviving are the osteospurmums (although it was a decent size before they arrived) and alchemilla mollis. And something that I think is called lychnis? They have a good rummage in the perennial geraniums but they seem to have survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 One plant that looks lovely at the moment and I think it stays flowering for quite a while is my sage - I think it's called pineapple sage and it grows into a medium sized bush which I cut back each spring. The leaves smell gorgeous - not quite pineapple but herby and mediterranean. The chooks haven't even touched it. Oops I have put one of these in my herb patch already - haven't given it oodles of space though Don't mind if it grows huge though Thanks for the ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Seriously any good ideas for something perrenial (sp?) that I could plant there that would add a bit of colour, How about a Penstemon? Lots of different colours available, flowers through the summer - just cut the stems when they die and it will flower again. In the winter chop back down to the ground - easy! Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Ooh they look pretty - just googled. Will need to go and investigate local garden centre - the more I am out with my chooks the more gardening I am getting done. Its a great vicious circle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickygirl Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I love this thread. We are trying to get our garden in shape, but meanwhile put a load of plants in containers - our pair have tromped all over a few of them and eaten all the flowers! So obviously we'll have to be a bit smarter. Sounds like the people on the forum could write a book on this! I must say I do like the sound of no weeding... Very true about the bird table - Patti and Geri make a beeline for it as soon as their run is opened! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickygirl Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 (edited) Oh dear, somehow entered the same post twice!! (Must be something to do with that pesky back button!) Edited June 19, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I got a tip from someone else on here - apologies because I can't remember who it was, but thanks for the idea - about putting slate chips on flowerpots to stop them scratching. I've done it on a couple of pots and it's worked like a dream - I think that because they can't see the earth, they don't bother scratching? It has saved my chives, which were being ruined by digging (they didn't eat them) and I'm going to use it on the rest of my pots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverWyreGrower Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 When our garden flooded over the winter, our chickens spent a couple of months in our greenhouse. We had loads of weeds etc in their, but they scratched them up and ate them, turned the soil into a fine tilth and fertilised it fantastically! Sadly, they will trash anything they get their little beaks on in the way of plants in the garden! Herbs, perrenials, grass, trees... all no go areas for them. We;ve put them on the back of our field now, which is rough grass and weeds and they love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Ours destroyed the garden last year, no grass left (think I should have confined them earlier in the year before the winter and the chooks REALLY took their toll ) Then of course there's the monster dog who does the grass no end of damage although at least SHE's stopped digging. I had no forget me nots left, not a one, last year all the fuschias, penstemons, osteospermums, every pot, every herb bar the sage, all the salvias, everything, all gone. Loads of shrubs left so the garden looks nice and green and bushy but I'm afraid 15 hens even for an hour a night (and I could never keep it that short, not when they wanted a scratch about!) were too much for our backyard. That said, you've made me want to let them out so I'm off to let them cause an hours carnage, then I'll spend the rest of the day grumbling about me pots! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
