dipper Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) help ! we need advise please we have 3 chooks had them for about 2 months but they are eating everything in my garden- we are rather I dont think we expected this kind of destruction Any advice appreciated thanks Edited August 13, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikpow Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I know how you feel- we've had our girls about the same time and we let them free range all day, they have eaten most of our flowers and eaten all of my veggies !!!!! Do yours free range a lot? The best thing would be to build a walk in run for them- something im considering at the mo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend21 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 my 6 ex batts have made short work of my back garden, when it rains it is like a mud heap. I have decided to let them have the back garden this year. We have a cube with two extentions and next year I might buy a proper big WIR and seed the garden, it is too late to worry and they love having the freedom. jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Is there not a small part of your garden you could sacrifice and net off for your chooks? that way the remainer would be safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-F-C Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I've bought a book called Chicken Runs and Vegetable Plots by Charlotte Popescu... it details loads of plants that chickens will / wont / should and shouldn't eat... Also a big of time spent in google will result in loads of information about plants that chickens wont eat... I've decided to grow loads of the 'beneficial' plants... especially for the chickens to eat in the hope that they will steer clear of the ones that I prefer them not to destroy... At the moment they want my Mooli plants... I just steer them away from these when supervising their free ranging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teri Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 a walk in run is the best solution. you can add loads of stuff to keep your girls entertained and still let them out for supervised free ranging. mine spent a few short weeks completley erradicating my lawn until i built their run! i'd definatley put a roof on as well as this will stop their run turning into a smelly bog every time it rains....something else i descovered by experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I use Omlet netting to give them access to a defined area. I aim to move them later in the year as they are wonderful at clearing the ground from weeds - even bindweed! And as for the slugs - totally gone! I seem to have chosen plants they don't eat so this bit, although it has no grass is otherwise better than it has ever been, So I'll renovate the bit that they are on now, plant some grass, and move them to clear another bit. Make them work for their treats is what I say! Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I'd recommend a WIR as well. It was the only thing that saved our garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolateeclaire Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 My 4 only pick at the dead leaves etc in the flower beds. Mind you that might have something to do with all the treats that they get!!!!!!!! You will have to decide if it is worth endless bananas, tins of spaghetti, brocolli, cat food etc in order to save the garden!! Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipper Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 thanks all does anyone have the link to the netting ? i can't find it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) Here is the omlet netting http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/shop.php?cat=Chicken%20Extras&sub=General&product_id=22&sort=popularity&start=0 but Tom posted about another company too....let me see if I can find that.......... there you go: http://www.knowlenets.co.uk/pest_game/poultry_netting.htm (you will need to buy poles to go with this...either from the omlet shop or flyte so fancy? I use the Omlet netting to keep my girls in the top end of the garden, they are free to eat what they please Edited August 13, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 My 4 only pick at the dead leaves etc in the flower beds.Mind you that might have something to do with all the treats that they get!!!!!!!! You will have to decide if it is worth endless bananas, tins of spaghetti, brocolli, cat food etc in order to save the garden!! Claire Bananas Do your chooks eat bananas:?: Must try that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I also swear by the netting . I contain my girls within the flowerbeds and although there aren't any flowers there, the shrubs and trees are enough to make it look OK and my lawn and other plants are totally safe . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 It's difficult to believe that two small birds can be so destructive and they absolutely love geraniums, tomato plants etc... anything tender infact. They have wiped out my newly sowed herb garden, but unlike other posts they turn their beaks up at weeds They love to drag out the gravel and slate that tops some low level planters. They do eat the slugs and snails though. Just looking around my garden now, the plants they aren't at all interested in are lavender, rosemary, lonicera, phormiums (New Zealand flax), ceanothus (California lilac), jasmins, wisteria, bamboo, cordyline, red robin etc etc Giving them a restricted area with the netting is the perfect answer. I also don't move the egloo and run about as much as I did letting them totally destroy one small out of sight area of lawn rather than slowly make the whole lot look just a mess. Not exactly back to Wimbledon stripes but it's getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 After our chooks raided the veggie patch, trashed planters, wrecked borders and dug holes in the lawn, we too made them a walk in run. They still try the guilt-trip route, but we don't take any notice of them! They now free-range under supervision only - and we grow them their own 'greens' to eat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Bananas Do your chooks eat bananas:?: Must try that That's exactly what I thought Mine are in their own section of the garden surrounded by electric fencing. They were in the first bit for around four months, and did trash it a bit, but it was only lawn and is already coming back - we have some seed to regrass the bald bits and pits, but haven't sorted it yet. We moved them to another bit of the garden a couple of weeks ago and they love it - it has a plum tree in a circular bed, which was filled with poppies, lily of the valley and violets, but they've been gradually laying waste to the lot! I don't mind, as they violets and lily of the valley didn't do much anyway, and they are sooo happy with their ready-made dustbath! (their sandpit is now ignored) Edited August 14, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franksmum Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 My four girls are like a mini demolition team, we've put netting around all of the veg beds and the one flower bed to keep them off (and it helps keeping pigeons and butterflies off the brassicas too) Also anything grown in pots and tubs has had to be raised out of jumping reach HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 My lot live behind Omlet netting (which I can recomend). In winter they live on the veg patch and scratch up the weeds and manure it at the same time. In spring they move to the other side of the garden and I net off my flower borders and they just lawn and an unused patch of earth to scratch in). The green Omlet netting blends in nicely in the garden too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 You can protect potted plants by placing slate chippings over the soil and protect garden shrubs by placing upturned baskets over them or bricks around the soil near their roots. Especially successful are established plants (Virginia Creeper, for example) which can survive being pecked as far as the chooks can reach. There are things that they turn their beaks up at, especially if they have become devoted to their layers pellets and have become choosy because of the yummy (finely minced) treats that you offer them in the late afternoon when they've had munched 80% of their food in the form of pellets. You can test what they will eat or leave alone by placing potted plants so that the chickens can munch (or avoid) through the wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Agree with everyone else Fencing off an area exclusively for them has made a huge difference to our hen keeping. Keeps the poos off the grass & keeps the veggies safe. Just have to actually use it and stop giving into their antics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
