Chickens are one of the best all-natural methods of controlling garden pests like slugs and bugs, reports the University of Kentucky. They can even contribute to your garden's fertility via their manure. Unfortunately, chickens may also be attracted to your vegetables or may be tempted to dig amongst your flowers. You have several options when it comes to keeping your chickens from browsing through your flowers and plants. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Keep your chickens confined to their chicken house or chicken run. This is, by far, the simplest and most direct way of keeping your chickens from mingling with your plants. If you provide your chickens with enough room in their coop --- 1 to 2 square feet per chicken, depending on its breed and age --- they'll be perfectly happy without needing to run through your garden.
2. Arrange your garden's planting plan to deter your chickens and make them less apt to browse your garden. In the middle of your garden or flower bed, plant the more fragile flower species or the more colorful, fruit-producing vegetables that are apt to attract your chickens' attention. On the outskirts of your garden or flower bed, plant densely growing herbs like lavender, basil or spearmint. The herbs' bitter taste and lack of colorful fruit will deter all but the hungriest chickens from entering further.
3. Erect a simple fence that's 3 to 4 feet tall if reorienting your planting plan isn't practical or aesthetically pleasing. For flower beds, choose an attractive fence, like a white picket fence, that compliments your flower palette or home. For vegetable gardens, basic grid-style chicken wire --- save money by picking wire with large openings that are 4 to 6 inches wide --- will suffice, tied to a 5-foot metal, plastic or wood stake that's pounded 12 inches into the ground.
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