The Poultry Keeper

danro · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:34 am Post subject: slugs

Hi everyone.

We keep our chooks in a 4m x 10m fenced off area of our garden.
Outside this area I'm (trying) to grow veg but the slugs are currently munching faster than the plants can grow. Evil or Very Mad

My first thought was "Slug pellets!" ... but as a treat we let the chooks out onto the garden once or twice a week to scratch about in the grass and borders.
Will the slug pellets be bad for the hens?
Or should I just let the hens free range more often to get more slugs?

Any ideas\advice greatly received Very Happy

Thanks

Danny

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1312 Location: Leicestershire

I find my chickens aren't to fussed about slugs, well maybe they'll have the small ones but they never touch the big ones, ducks however will gobble them up. Slug pellets shouldn't be used where your girls can get at them. I don't know if they will kill them but I would advise not to use them where the chickens can get. Have you tried beer traps for the slugs? although I never have, I understand they are very successful, somebody will be along later to tell you more I hope.

Itsybitsy

hollowlegs · Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 34 Location: Hampshire

Beer traps work very well as do milk ones! Just bury a yoghurt pot in the vicinity of the vulnerable plants, leaving around half an inch above ground then 3/4 fill it with either liquid. It's amazing how many slugs crawl in overnight & drown. The chooks will love the resulting tasty morsels!!! Very Happy

Woodburner · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject:

Not all slugs are bad, some actually eat the small nasty ones. The little grey ones are the ones that do the most damage. I find the chooks do eat those Smile

nigel · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 6:32 am Post subject:

Ducks eat slugs

[but they also eat vegetable plants and make a real mess in gardens]

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1312 Location: Leicestershire

When I let mine out this morning I have a broody with 5 chicks around 3 weeks old, one of the chicks got hold of one of those small grey slugs and managed to scoff the lot before his siblings found out Laughing

Itsybitsy

Gilly C · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2170 Location: South Cumbria

try piles of bran, it kills either slugs or snails and makes the other very ill and birds or hens can still eat with no ill effectts Smile

needs replenishing often I used it at my last house and certainly works and inexpensive too Very Happy

EGirl · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 708 Location: Dublin, Ireland

Thanks Gilly, I'm going to try that!
Mine like nothing better than a huge fat slug, or better still a snail in shell which they can fight over and then coax out of it's shell. Shocked

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 307 Location: Cornwall

A good way to keep slugs away is to collect them all in a bucket, as many as you can find, then put boiling water on them. Put a lid on the bucket and keep it closed for a week. Strain the liquid out and water it over the veg plot, but not on plants just around them. The slugs can either smell the death liquid or sense it and won't go near your veggies again. Well not until the liquids disappeared (dependant on weather). I do mine about once a month, and so far nothing's eaten my veggies.