Want to let my roo and 2 hens clean out the bugs in the vegetable garden. Will they eat my veggies?
When can I let my hens into the garden or is it a bad idea
First: are they standard size, or banties? Are they full-grown?
If they're standard size and full grown: yes. They will eat zukes, greens, and tomatoes. Wish it weren't so. I pick all ripe fruit before letting them in, but I always regret it after they tear up all the mulch and ruin young tomatoes.
Darn! they're full grown roo is a leghorn and hens are large red somethings. I got the roo because he was mean and his previous owner cut his wings and was throwing him out to the coyotes, he seemed so depressed without company that I talked a friend into giving me the to big hens to keep him company - good thing I have 1" chicken wire all around the garden now all I have to do is keep them from digging under it. They haven't tried flying over it yet
thanks for the info ZEPPY
Nice previous owner. I've had mean chickens, but that's just sick to cripple the bird before throwing him to predators.
I grow borage, sunflowers and kales for my chickens, and they seem happy with that. Not as happy as they'd be if they were digging in my nice soft garden soil, but hey. At least they're not on the Perdue truck.
Zeppy - thanks for the reply and info about sunflowers - I have a few that volunteered outside the garden, I was going to get rid of them but now I'll let them grow the birds aren't eating the stalks or leave so I presume they just eat the seeds. If the weather ever cools down I'll get some kale started for them. Is there anything else they like that is heat and drought tolerant?
I would wait until your veg is finished then, before you replant let them loose on it to clear the old plants and then as you turn the soil over let them get at the beetles, worms and buried seeds. You won't believe the eggs they'll be laying 48 hours later. As they feed they'll also leave some droppings for you to dig back into the ground for the benefit of your next crop.
Are there any worries about having fresh poultry droppings in your vegetable garden? No diseases to spread?
The droppings are "hot", so if you have plants that you are still expecting to produce, you probably don't want them in there as there may be nitrogen burn. Conventional wisdom says to compost before using. On the other hand, if your veggies are done for the year, the poop will just compost right in the dirt and feed the soil quite nice. I think with proper hygene, chicken poop should be fine for composting - humans have been using chicken bedding for composting and spreading on the fields for a long, long time.
Vermicomposting ( composting with worms) suggests getting a little chicken, cow ,horse, etc. any vegetarian animal manure to help start the process along. My chickens run free range all over the yard, and we have great healthy grass :) If there is too much manure in one area, there will be "burning" of roots, etc.
We have used the garden as a winter "chicken yard." This helps with pest control and fertilizing.
Thanks everybody,
roo is still a problem but hens are very nice - I will let them in garden this fall for sure if they don't get in first. I plan to grow millet, corn, and sunflowers for them next year.
I have found (mostly by accident) the silly things will eat ANYTHING! (well except punture vine darn it) I watched Gueniver catch and eat a mouse, they steal the canned cat food, dog food and all kinds of left over greens. Is there anything I should be careful to keep away from them? They have the run of the back lot and eat lizards and everything the cat drags in, UGH
Also is there anyway to keep Poorbird (the roo) from trying to attack me all of the time? If he doesn't quit I may remember how to pluck a bird!
Hey there.
My mom had a chicken have a stroke after eating a toad, but we were never quite sure if it was connected or not. They are scavengers by nature, so I think they'll probably avoid most things that are bad for them, and pretty much anything else is up for grabs.
I have had the same probably with my roo, and I had to cull him from the flock :( They are aggressive by nature, I think. Anyone else had better luck?
Sounds like DEEPEEJAY has a plan. My leghorns got the free run of my property until night. I have a ton of grasshoppers that they just love to chase and eat. While I have a large supply of grasshoppers, I do not worry too much about my tomatoes and stuff. If I started treating the grasshoppers again, I would probably be concerned about the veggies. Most fresh manure, especially chicken could cause burn if concentrated. Chicken manure is also alcaline, which would be good for most grasses and okra but most veggies prefer acidic conditions. If it were composted which is suppossed to neutralize the PH, or at least tilled under for next year, it would probably be alright. With only 4 chickens I would probably let them in the garden now, unless you have a very small garden because of the burn and PH, and keep an eye on them and see if they have an interest in the veggies or just the bugs. Also like zeppy said, if you have mulch, you probably want have it where you did once the chickens get involved in gardening.