Electricbarbarella Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 If you let your chook free range all the time would the garden just get wrecked, turn into a mud and chook poo patch? Live in a terrace house and have a smallish garden, 4 hens. I have been letting them out for longer and longer each day and so far they haven't doen any damage. I love the idea of my cube stood in the corner with no run but can't quite bring myself to make the jump. does anybody do this and what are the pros and cons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 The top end of my garden is devoted solely to the hens, and is like the Somme at times. I think yours would soon be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Hello, we let our girls free range most of the time (3 big girls, 1 bantam). We both work from home so can keep an eye on them. We havnt noticed very much damage to our garden at all (apart from when they got into the veg patch), they do like to kick the soil out the boarders but thats about it. We have noticed a dramatic reduction in slugs, which is nice! I would recommend keeping the run for just in case situations - I'm not happy leaving ours to free range while we are out, and it is also handy if you want to go away over night. From watching them I think they just snip the tips off the grass rather than pull it all up. Our Weimaraner does more danage than the hens and they look so happy when they are wandering around all the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Sorry but YES. Your garden will be destroyed Had to redo the whole garden including lawn this year. Girlies now have a WIR and limited garden time, but not in the winter. (grass doesnt seem to survive) Did win Silver Gilt for my garden in The bexley in bloom this year again, ( not last ) Have to be cruel, easier as the years go by, bit like children really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Wow, my chickens must be very careful and considerate! They have free ranged since May last year and our garden is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 LauraJ do you still have that green stuff...Grass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 We do! I will post a photo if I can work out how to! I have just been reminded of the worst thing about having free range chickens and a dog.... The dog likes to eat chicken poo and it makes his bottom smell horrid!!! Sorry to lower the tone so early!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electricbarbarella Posted November 17, 2010 Author Share Posted November 17, 2010 my dog also eats chicken poo, it is revolting. I think my whole garden is probably a bit smaller trhan Eglutynes free range area so probably would only take them a week to kill all the grass, I just like having them pottering about, especially now they are no longer laying so it doesn't matter about getting pellets into them, although I wish they would lay something I hate buying eggs. I am in all day now so like to have them out and about, although don't like it if OH in charge as he never hoses the patio down and then the kids slip over in chicken poo which is always lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Mine free range the majority of the time and I still have a lovely green lawn . However, all of my plants are seriously nibbled and poo picking is a constant job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 The poo never stays on our decking long enough to become a slip hazard - helpful but smelly dog takes care of it all. He is also partial to rabbit poo How big is your garden? I think ours is about 30foot by 80foot, although it is not all grass, some of it is decking and a bit by the house is gravel. And a bit at the back is a veg patch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaoh Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 My 3 ex-batts have been free ranging in a fairly large garden now for nearly 2 months. They have nibbled all the spinach and much of the London Pride but apart from a few shallow holes there is no visible damage. Poo picking from paths, etc is necessary. Do watch if you think they are not laying as last week I found a clutch of 23 eggs! Now all back and laying in the nest box. Yes, they come running when they hear the gate or back door! It's great to see them patrolling round. OH has now fenced off his veg patch as he did not like their company when he was digging, scared he would spear them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 My 4 hybrids free range all day. I think it depends on the size of your garden and how it is laid out. We have about 1/3 acre comprising of lawn, borders and shrub banks. There is plenty for them to do in the space without trashing or destroying the garden. It is not muddy and our lawn is in great shape. The only issue that we have is trying to protect new plants from being scratched up and the kicking of stones and dirt onto the lawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 My girls have a huge permanent run which we have christened the Somme for a very good reason! There is not a speck of green to be seen in it now, where once it was covered in grass and weeds. They also manage to trash the grass when I let them out to free range, so my answer to your question would be "yes". It's very interesting to hear that others have a different experience - I must have very destructive girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 We free ranged ours most days in a small garden and it was wrecked - I returfed twice in two years, then we moved to our huge garden (where of course they now can't free range much thanks to the foxes ) and they've done no damage to that at all. It was generally fine in the summer, but it was the winter, when the grass didn't really grow back, that really killed our garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Ours free range in the back border, but they can't get onto the lawn from there. I have to say the ex batts just love it out there as they seem to enjoy jumping up as high as they can to reach the leaves on the shrubs and they love to just dig up the soil and make dustbaths. The new girls could get out into the border too but for some reason, even though the hatch is open, they make no attempt to go out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 As others have said the problems with unlimited free ranging in small gardens occur in the winter when the grass doesn't grow back & the damaged plants don't regrow. In these circs you go into spring with a denuded boggy lawn & trashed borders. At least thats my experience My ladies do get a fair amount of f/r time but in the summer they were also confined to a large enclosed area. At least now I'm going into winter with some of the garden still intact. Hope this helps. Alli xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Mine free range a lot and I have a small garden but the grass is OK. What drives me nuts though is the amount of poo everywhere. I have some Omlet netting but they are expert at ducking under it so it is of no use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 oh the poo... the poo.. and they seem to dig up bulbs. and trample on anything even vaguely delicate. bye bye strawberry plants. and they dig holes to dustbathe in EVERYWHERE. not in their run but outside my backdoor where the pretty plants used to be. rotters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Mine free range in an area of around 80x100 foot sq and it looks awful..I've had my girls since March.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaoh Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I have some Omlet netting but they are expert at ducking under it so it is of no use. I found that with Omlet netting the secret is to pull the bottom black wire tight between posts one at at time. That way they cannot get under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Mine are confined to the (ex)flower beds with Omlet netting. It's brilliant as they can scratch and dig as much as they want, I keep my lawn and I don't have to poo pick . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I'm glad dogs don't lay eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I have some Omlet netting but they are expert at ducking under it so it is of no use. I found that with Omlet netting the secret is to pull the bottom black wire tight between posts one at at time. That way they cannot get under. Thanks Pharaoh. I also find that the netting falls over all the time. Has anyone tried the corner posts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 We live in a Victorian terrace house with a 20m garden and my four chickens free range all day, every day from dawn (not so early these days) to dusk. However I admit that I have re-done the garden now to suit my chickens taste for digging and my taste for pretty flowers. We have a wiggly path that goes through wide borders from one end to the other. There is no grass but lots of things like lavender and roses,together with climbers such as clematis, pirocantha, honeysuckle and Japanese quince. (I used advice from this forum). In between the climbers, and the shrubs, at the back of the borders, I have bare areas for chicken scratching where they make little craters and lounge around. I also have a couple of mini apple trees which my chooks particularly love to be under. It seems to work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Cheaky Chook that sounds like the most amazing chicken garden ever, your girls must be very happy hens My hens ate a chilli plant during the summer... I was quite upset as it was the only thing I had managed to grow... OH asked if the hens were seasoning themselves ready for roasting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
