Sas Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 My first lot of chickens got killed by a fox, and I'm about to take delivery of my second lot. Very excited! But I now have a veg patch, that I didn't have before, and I'm wondering how much damage the girls might do? My last chickens didn't spoil the garden at all - they didn't dig up or eat any plants, just pootled around the grass and flicked the odd dead leaf and mud into the air, so I'm hoping these new ones will be the same. There's not a huge amount left on the veg patch now - some potatoes, french beans, rocket, courgettes and kale, and the area is fenced off. But my last girls could jump pretty high, so I'm not sure the fence will keep them out.... Anyway, enough blathering. I'd love to hear other people's experiences of chickens and veg. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fizzle Knit Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 My veg are on the allotment so the hens can't get at them. They absolutely love spinach which I bring them back occasionally, and beet leaves. We did try growing a couple of tomato plants here - they've had some of the leaves off them butnot the fruits themselves - that may well change if they ever actually ripen and turn red as mine are mad about toms! Earlier in the summer I had a tray of cabbage seedlings that never took off so I abandoned them to the hens and they enjoyed those. I think I'd assume they will have your veg until they demonstrate otherwise. Good luck with your new girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 You might be as well to net the veg patch off. My hens would make a bee line for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Mine would eat everything in seconds if they got in there. Fortunatly, my chickens seem to be made of lead and not much good at flying. There is only a 5ft fence between them but they thankfully don't seem to have any ambition for flying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsallen08 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 On the plus side once you're crops are done this year you can let the chooks on it for a good scratch and poop! Its great for the lazy gardener! I have had my girls free ranging today (between rain!) They have now scratched all the moss from the lawn and around the edge where the slugs hide in the longer grass they have scratched it all back and gobbled the slugs! However, they did peck my one and only not-so-green tomato! Grrrr!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Last year the chooks free ranged the whole garden and my hubbie's veg patch was behind netting. They constantly got in or over to eat the veg. Hubbie finally got fed up and now the chooks live behind Omlet netting in their own bit of the garden and hubbie's veg is on the other side. On the plus side, in Winter, we will move the chooks back to the empty veg patch to live so they can poop all over it and enrich the soil ready for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Last year the chooks free ranged the whole garden and my hubbie's veg patch was behind netting. They constantly got in or over to eat the veg. Hubbie finally got fed up and now the chooks live behind Omlet netting in their own bit of the garden and hubbie's veg is on the other side. On the plus side, in Winter, we will move the chooks back to the empty veg patch to live so they can poop all over it and enrich the soil ready for next year. Ooooo good idea, my veg patch fenced to keep dogs poff. chooks not flown in or gone in uninvited (got Chard) I think chooks that didn't destory garden were extremely well brought up! and possibly unique from what I have read. Like babies get a good qquiet one 1st, don't expect the next to be like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Net off that veg patch! My scoffalots keep looking at my veg patch, which is netted off, and try to get in there every time I go in to water - they love their greens Otherwise, the only damage they have done to the garden is to rake out the weeds and rake up the groundcover and throw it all onto the lawn. None of the bigger plants have been touched, so I have just adopted a slightly different style of gardening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 lol yes different style allright. no petunias. no bulbs, mine love the leaves. little dug oputs in the lawn(who cares) a small shovel or rake to keep putting back tth freshly weeded garden off the path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
