# Chicken garden



## karaebaker (Dec 30, 2012)

I'm super excited bc our coop is going up next week!!! I've been reading ab chickens and gardens and how they can work well together. We haven't planted our veggie garden yet but we do have 14 blueberry, blackberry and raspberry bushes as well as grape and muscadine vines. Does anyone know how the chickens will deal with those (they do have a 4 inch layer of mulch)? Also living in Arkanssas and keeping in mind veggies that grow well here does anyone have any chicken friendly veggie suggestions. Very new to all this but I want to do my best to maintain a healthy happy balance between my garden and my chickens. Thanks in advance!!!


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## MistyV (Mar 20, 2013)

The chicken will eat the crop, if there's a plant you don't mind them picking through, leave it exposed, but otherwise I would enclose the plants.


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

My pawpaw always had a grapevine growing over the run of the coop. There were always more scupinine grapes than we could eat. It provided shade and free food for his birds. As a matter of fact I am planting a wine grape vine in mine this year. My coop is completely covered. The fencing becomes both arbor and cage. 
The grapes were huge too like half dollar size. I am currently also keeping pepper plants on the outside of the run just out of reach of my girls. As they fruit the girls will get the ones closest to them but there is always enough for me and my husband on the out side edge. I have also heard of having two run for the chickens to rotate them through one summer and one winter. This lets the birds have all the green matter that is left after you harvest. The chickens till it under and leave wonderful droppings for the next summer or winters crop. 
I hope this helps.


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

I also forgot to tell you my chickens leave my tomatoes alone until they see bright red fruit then they will eat the fruit but by planting tall varieties you get the high tomatoes and your girls get the low ones. 

My chickens love peppers squash zucchini watermelon can't elope broccoli cauliflower and eggplant.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

We had to cage our birds because of the garden (and the garden down the road ) I know some folks say they never have/had a problem but mine did a number on the garden and berries.


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## profwirick (Jan 24, 2013)

Sundancers said:


> We had to cage our birds because of the garden (and the garden down the road ) I know some folks say they never have/had a problem but mine did a number on the garden and berries.


they really walked down the road to rob your neighbor's garden,! wow! 
We have been gardening for mana a decade, but just got out chicks this winter. We have been letting them roam. And fly! Guess we better crank up our fencing system. 
Thanks for this thread, everyone.


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## profwirick (Jan 24, 2013)

MistyV said:


> The chicken will eat the crop, if there's a plant you don't mind them picking through, leave it exposed, but otherwise I would enclose the plants.


I'd like to hear what people say about hot wiring around crops, or around chicks,mand moving a hot fence to let the ladies do their garden chores in a timely fashion.


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## karaebaker (Dec 30, 2012)

We have actually talked ab a hot wire but I think we've decided to go with a 5ft fence around our fruit and vegetable garden


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

Chickens will very quickly destroy every living thing that you plant. Even if they don't eat the plant, they will dig in the loose dirt and uproot a fresh planting. They may also eat all the roots and kill the plant, I had this happen with mints, stevia and comfrey in pots. They knocked over the pots, uprooted everything and then ate the fresh leaves and all the roots.

They didn't eat my garlic, but they went along and went "oooh, what's that?" pluck out of ground, "YUCK!" toss aside. Walk 6-inches "ooooh, what's that" pluck out of ground, "YUCK!" toss aside............to a 100 square foot planting of garlic. They did the same with onion plants.

Anything that has mulch, forget it, they will go to town in that mulch, spreading it up to 4 feet away and destroying the plant in the process.

They will eat any brassica plant, broccoli, cabbage, kale, plus spinach and lettuce. Sprouted corn, pea and bean seeds, sunflower plants etc. They will destroy the fruit of cukes, melons, tomatoes. If you have berry bushes they will enjoy hanging out under the bushes, but once fruit appears, then you will see how high a chicken can jump straight up to take your berries!

If you have a garden it will need to be fenced with chicken wire 4 feet high to keep out the chickens and bunnies with electric at the top to keep out deer, bear etc.

I now have nice flower and herb garden beds. They are ALL ringed with 3 foot stakes and bird netting. From a distance it isn't as noticable and it's easy to pull down when I have to work in the bed, but it's a R*O*Y*A*L Pain in my A$$. However I see it as the only way I can have those beds with chickens running around.

I love my girls and guys, and I love my gardens and I share my crops with my girls and guys, however the actual garden is off limits until the late fall when they are allowed to dig around. I cover my garlic plantings with netting so they can't dig up the dirt. They have free range until Spring when the fence goes back up.


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## AlexTS113 (Feb 17, 2013)

karaebaker said:


> I'm super excited bc our coop is going up next week!!! I've been reading ab chickens and gardens and how they can work well together. We haven't planted our veggie garden yet but we do have 14 blueberry, blackberry and raspberry bushes as well as grape and muscadine vines. Does anyone know how the chickens will deal with those (they do have a 4 inch layer of mulch)? Also living in Arkanssas and keeping in mind veggies that grow well here does anyone have any chicken friendly veggie suggestions. Very new to all this but I want to do my best to maintain a healthy happy balance between my garden and my chickens. Thanks in advance!!!


Where did you get your coop from?!


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## AlexTS113 (Feb 17, 2013)

karaebaker said:


> I'm super excited bc our coop is going up next week!!! I've been reading ab chickens and gardens and how they can work well together. We haven't planted our veggie garden yet but we do have 14 blueberry, blackberry and raspberry bushes as well as grape and muscadine vines. Does anyone know how the chickens will deal with those (they do have a 4 inch layer of mulch)? Also living in Arkanssas and keeping in mind veggies that grow well here does anyone have any chicken friendly veggie suggestions. Very new to all this but I want to do my best to maintain a healthy happy balance between my garden and my chickens. Thanks in advance!!!


Show us some pics please!!!


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## karaebaker (Dec 30, 2012)

Do you wanna see pics of our fruit garden or of the coop or the chickens when they come in?


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Show us many pics of all of them.


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

We love pictures!!


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## karaebaker (Dec 30, 2012)

This is our fruit and what's gonna be the veggie garden all fenced in and chicken safe...somewhat...haha


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## karaebaker (Dec 30, 2012)

And these are our chicken babies!!! I'm already in love!!!


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## profwirick (Jan 24, 2013)

Roslyn said:


> Chickens will very quickly destroy every living thing that you plant. Even if they don't eat the plant, they will dig in the loose dirt and uproot a fresh planting. They may also eat all the roots and kill the plant, I had this happen with mints, stevia and comfrey in pots. They knocked over the pots, uprooted everything and then ate the fresh leaves and all the roots.
> 
> They didn't eat my garlic, but they went along and went "oooh, what's that?" pluck out of ground, "YUCK!" toss aside. Walk 6-inches "ooooh, what's that" pluck out of ground, "YUCK!" toss aside............to a 100 square foot planting of garlic. They did the same with onion plants.
> 
> ...


oh man, first spring with chicks. long time gardeners. 
we are building a glass topped house for them, shaded in summer. I thought I might get away with letting them Free range, though that hawk is a real threat. They have been ducking in under the deck and foundation shrubbery, or skiddadleing back into the garage when the crows caw a warning. So far they have shown no interest in the gardens, but we haven't tilled yet. I'll take any advise you have on containing them. They are so used to running now, I can't imagine cooping them, but maybe there's no choice?


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## heb24 (Jan 22, 2013)

What kinds of chicks did you get?


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Sounds like they know what to do. And be thankful for the crows. Give them cover areas. Grow some bushes along the walkways and perimeter. Put up arbors or use benches to allow for cover. They should do fine if you help a little. A Roo is helpful, but my guess is that a hen will step up.


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## karaebaker (Dec 30, 2012)

euskal oiloas's, RIR's and one Millie fleur duccle


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## Mamachickof14 (Aug 28, 2012)

May I *POP* in with a question? You said be thankful for the crows?? Is it when a hawk is around that the crows will scare them away?? Very interesting...


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