chickens and garden plants

[clucking chicks]

I sat in the garden (in the lovely sunshine!) with my beautiful girls pecking my legs and began to wonder if there are any plants that my chooks will not want to eat. I noticed they have avoided my formium but there isn't much else that has had a good summer. Whilst it doesn't matter (I am not distraut at the demise of my greenery,) I wondered if anyone can suggest anything to convince my mum that I am at least trying with the garden?!

Thanks!

Katy

 

[Stapfam]

Hate to say it but if you want a garden- then keep the chickens enclosed. I have about .2 acre garden that is set into rooms and the chickens have their own pen. They do have a separate run that I move about daily but they never get off the rough grass around their pen. They do not "Free Range" But all weedings and trimmings go into their pen and they eat the lot. Yet to find anything they will not eat except Potato and Tomato haulm- but they never get that in any case as it is poisonous to them. Only thing I have noticed they are not keen on is duck and blanket weed from the pond but even that will go eventually.

I used to think that 7 chickens cannot do too much damage in a garden of this size but when they decide to do it- a 40 x 4ft border will be devastated in a couple of hours. That included the Perenial shrubs that had been there for years aswell. So make a choice- Free range chickens or a garden.