Garden Chickens

[tortoise]

I'm seriously considering making chicken tunnels in my garden, attached to a chicken tractor. DH will think I've lost my mind.

 

[NH Homesteader]

We wanted to do that! But we have no more chickens…

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We wanted to do that! But we have no more chickens…

That's easily remedied!!

 

[tortoise]

I have a center aisle, so I'm thinking to make a little tractor that fits in the aisle and I can roll or drag along, and a tunnel for each side to go down the rows or aisles, depending on where I need them.

I think the tunnels will need to be modular, since they would be about 30' long and need to be lifted over crops. 8 foot sections seems feasible.

 

[tortoise]

Hmmm, I might need to leave some tunnels in place, such as between wheat rows. I wouldn't be able to lift them out without damaging plants. I also couldn't cultivate the space between the rows without damaging plants. Non-portable tunnels would be easier to construct.

Drill hole in end of 2x2s. Arch chicken wire to make a tunnel, hold the sides down with 2x2s, pin the 2x2s in place with rebar.

 

[Hinotori]

I'm just going to fence out the large fowl and let the silkies have free reign in the garden after the plants are well up. They aren't anywhere near as destructive as the big birds. At least mine are good. Probably because they are bearded and have big crests so they can't see well.

 

[tortoise]

I'm just going to fence out the large fowl and let the silkies have free reign in the garden after the plants are well up. They aren't anywhere near as destructive as the big birds. At least mine are good. Probably because they are bearded and have big crests so they can't see well.

I'm thinking of just using Silkies in the garden too. I will still want eggs from my Barred Rock girls.

 

[NH Homesteader]

That's easily remedied!!

They’re fun in the summer but winter is long…. Won’t be happening! Lol

 

[Hinotori]

I'm thinking of just using Silkies in the garden too. I will still want eggs from my Barred Rock girls.

That's why I still keep ameraucana and easter eggers.

 

[Mini Horses]

I read a snip somewhere yrs back about a lady reporting garden chickens were great except when young plants OR tomatoes ripened! She painted some rocks red and put them out...says once chickens got nothing pecking them they left red blobs alone, then she rarely lost any tomatoes.