Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ted Schreier on January 25, 2013 at 12:27pm

My girls weren't interested in Tomatoes unless they were Really Small.

This year I'm gunna put up a 4' fence [just the Orange Construction Barrier] to keep them out of the Garden.

What variety of Birds do you have? Rooster/s??

Have Fun

Ted

Permalink Reply by PCM on January 25, 2013 at 12:46pm

No Roosters, just three hens, an easter egger, a bramah, and a polish.  I am going to put up better fencing but I was hoping someone had some experience with something that would outlast the chicken scratching.  They really liked my bell peppers, chard, tomatoes, jalapenos, iris', onions, grass, potatoes, garlic, and anything else that seemed in the least bit green or interesting!  I wanted to plant something they could pick at but they just dig up everything.  I hate to see their wandering area so barren.  How many chickens do you have and what kind?  Do they dig up everything too?

 

Permalink Reply by Ted Schreier on January 25, 2013 at 4:51pm

I have 3 Hens;

2 Buff Orpingtons and a Black Australorp.

Our situation is pretty unique > our Backyard is a nearly sterile Wasteland having been ignored for Many years, we introduced the Girls to Poop & Scratch and Scratch & Poop to hopefully improve the soil. We'll see......

Permalink Reply by Nicole Gramlich on January 25, 2013 at 1:34pm

There is nothing a chicken will leave alone.  If it's green, they're going to eat it.  :)  Your best bet is to fence off whatever garden or plants you have that you want to be able to grow.  Then, once the plants start producing, *you* pick the produce and give it to them.  If you let them roam free, your veggie patch will be reduced to scratch in no time.  ;)  We have our garden fenced off so they can't get in, but they dance at the fence when they see me go in there - they know they're about to get the good stuff.  Hee hee.

Best of luck!

Permalink Reply by PCM on January 25, 2013 at 1:45pm

I guess they will have to be satisfied with that!  One thing I did was have large pots and those were a little more difficult for them to get in.  The added benifit was I would move them occasionally and there were lots of yummy bugs underneath.  I will have to get better fencing. 

Permalink Reply by Whitney Buchanan on January 25, 2013 at 2:01pm

They love to scratch and dig, not just for the greens and roots but for bugs. This may sound odd, but they are just as happy scratching and digging in a pile of damp, decomposing leaves as they are in a planting. If that's not workable, consider splitting the space in half and rotating their access from side to side, re-seeding and allowing one side to rest and recover while they work on the other side. You can plant just about anything; a good pasture grass will recover from being pecked down to ground level if you let it get established first.

Permalink Reply by PCM on January 25, 2013 at 2:11pm

Thanks!  Thats a good idea.   What is a good pasture grass and do you know if I can get it at a nursery?

Permalink Reply by Whitney Buchanan on January 25, 2013 at 2:22pm

The Alameda Greenhouse nursery (4th & Alameda?) carries a bunch of different types of grass seed for pastures, they will definitely be able to steer you to the right one.

Permalink Reply by PCM on January 25, 2013 at 2:25pm

I love the Alameda Greenhouse.  I'll look for the grass seed there.  I'm looking forward to giving my girls a greener place to roam.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! 

Permalink Reply by Ted Schreier on January 25, 2013 at 5:07pm

Where's the Like Button? > GriNN

Permalink Reply by grygon on January 26, 2013 at 8:34am

Fence it off and put them to use in the composting!  ;)