The Poultry Keeper

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Any idea which flowers are less likely to be decimated by the velociraptors, sorry, chickens? Shocked

I've only got a small garden, so it looks very bare when they eat all the greenery! I'm just sowing sweetpeas, which I'll put in a raised bed and put netting over.

I like having a few pots on the patio, but at the mo they're being used as a buffet Evil or Very Mad

I'll go for more hanging baskets as well, in the hope that I can get them out of chicken range (although it doesn't always stop them - my OEG spends most of her day in my windowbox, scratching up the narcissi Confused

)

I can't keep them away from the plants, as they have free run of the garden for several hours a day - there's no way of segregating them and I wouldn't want to anyway.

I've been advised to go for plants with strong fragrance oils, so geranium, lavender, etc (some people's chickens apparently eat lavender, but mine don't seem to like it). I grow a lot of herbs, so I'm hoping they'll be hardier as well.
I've been given a list of plants that are supposedly more able to withstand chicken attack, but it would be nice to hear from anyone who actually manages to keep chickens and an attractive garden!

I don't want to give up on ever having a nice garden again just cos I share it with the girls!

What plants have other people had success with growing alongside chickens?

Aussie Chick · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:39 am Post subject:

All of mine have been decimated. Even the lavender!! Mad

But the chickens are lovely Very Happy

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Lol, yes they're very lovely - they just about make up for having a wasteland for a garden Rolling Eyes

I knew before I got them that they'd spell the end for a lot of plants, but I never realised just how rapidly they'd do it! What once was lawn is now a grey-ish brown patch of scrub - it's so revolting that I think I'm going to have to cover it with woodchippings Confused

I suppose the only real answer is put everything in very high hanging baskets... Laughing

CP · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 12:10 pm Post subject:

I posted this for someone who asked the same question recently.

I have these in my garden & they don't get attacked - you may get the odd peck or two though.

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Thanks for that, CP - I shall write a list and peruse the seed catalogue! I've only got a smallish garden so I should be able to find something suitable from that lot Laughing

I'm determined to have sweetpeas - I shall just have to hide the bottoms of them amongst the other plants Rolling Eyes

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that list CP. Looks like it'll be geraniums and more geraniums for me then Very Happy

Just as well I like them isn't it!

My girls love my hebe Sad

Not sure what variety it is though, it's not one that has the really dark glossy leaves.

CP · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject:

I'd just like to say that the list is the ones MY hens won't eat! Rolling Eyes

Yours may decide they like to eat geraniums! Wink

Hopefully there will be some plants amongst them that they will leave alone. Good luck! Very Happy

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Actually we did notice that our geraniums survived quite well last year, so I reckon it's the strong smell from the plant oils that put them off.
Not that it works with my lovely lemon thyme, mind you... Shocked

I've already been and bought 'Tumbling Tom' tomato seeds - I'm hoping that if I grow the toms above head height I may be able to save them from becoming chicken breakfast Laughing

mojo · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:27 pm Post subject:

trick from fat fool in france........buy rabbit guards and plant sweetpeas inside helps keep the chooks away till the plants have a hold

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Mojo, what's a rabbit guard, is it wire netting-type stuff?
I thought I'd shove the sweetpeas in between the lavenders and rosemary, in the hope of disguising them a bit. Are they less susceptible when they're bigger then?

I've noticed that the birds only get into the patio pots that have bare compost in them - if they can see anywhere stable to stand then they don't bother so much.

So my plan of action is to grow the plants initially in trays in the mini-greenhouse, then plant them out when they're big enough to fill the available space. Hopefully if I cram them in, the chooks won't be able to find anywhere to land.

That's the theory, anyway... Rolling Eyes