kelliesmooch Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I really would like to keep some chickens, but have heard some breds can be quite destructive to gardens- avid diggers etc. I've spent much time and effort to transform my garden from an overgrown knot weed infested concrete dessert into a beautiful unusual wildlife oasis. I am prepared for a degree of curiosity driven interference from my chicks but would really value some advice on which breds are likely to be the least destructive in this regard, while at the same time being tame and friendly. Also, are these breds Omet would be able to supply? Hope am not asking for too much! am really excited at the prospect of providing loving home for some chicks but also very much love my plants too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Orpington's are meant to be recommended as gentle foragers. We're looking to get a couple in the summer. Presently we've got a Light Sussex, an Amber Star, a Maran and a Plymouth Rock and as a group they tear up the garden given the chance. I'd say the Amber and Maran are the worst (they're also the flightiest of our 4). They're now restricted to 1/2 the garden and can pick shrubs clean, rake holes in the lawn and grub around to their hearts content in an area we've effectively 'surrendered'. That said, we put them on what is now our vegetable patch and they did an excellent job clearing the ground elder and weeds before we put membrane down and put some raised beds in. We penned them in in stages over the overgrown bits of our garden and it was a really good way of cutting everything back with the minimum of effort on our part! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) Well I got two Pure Breed Orpingtons last November and although they ate all my herbs they have only dug the earth under the hedge and the grass is kept short but not dug up The orps are big buxom girls and lay five eggs a week each at the moment Three weeks ago the hybrid Bluebelle and Amber Star arrived..............they are much more active than the Orps generally and they are much more active in the digging up the lawn department. At the moment they are just scratching the moss out of the lawn which is a bonus as it saves me doing it but I am a bit concerned about what will happen when the moss has gone and it is just the grass left. I have split my garden in two with Omlet netting so the chooks have the top half and the half closest to they house is for us humans and this works great and from the house the whole lawn looks lovely! Also I put my Orps to use in January and fenced them into the veggie patch and they weeded and rotovated it perfectly!!! LOL LOL LOL woffle has just posted more of less the same as me Edited April 14, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Bantams are less destructive , especially the feathery legged ones such as Pekins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I have 6 pekins, and they don't dig up the garden at all I have lots of grass still, and no bare patches. That said, there are plants that they will eat, and they do trample things making dust baths I have netted off an area of the garden for them to farage in, and the rest of the garden is coming through unscathed. Their worst crime by far is kicking stones across the lawn when scratching in the border. Soon put right with a broom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
