My next door neighbor has a problem with another neighbor's chickens crossing the street and visiting her newly laid, expensive flower beds. They are digging up the plants, etc. This isn't a rural area, but there are no laws on the books about poultry in people's yards.
Any suggestions that won't harm the chickens, yet keep them out of the flower beds?
Thanks,
Holly
Editor's Note: I guess this explains why the chicken crossed the road! To eat some flowers. Sorry.
I used to have chickens and my dad would use chicken wire along the ground, and let the plants grow up through it; and if the base of the plants get too big you can always cut out a little section of it to make it bigger. Then there is the possibility of asking whoever owns the chickens to keep them in a pen.
Oh and by the way your won't even know the wire is there if you cover it with bark, mulch, or pine straw. (04/29/2005)
By Justin
Letting your chickens roam and destroy others' property is just as bad as having a dog that does that! I would suggest asking the neighbor to fence in the chickens or you will call the police. Also, take photos of the chickens in the act. Maybe have a lawyer write a letter to the neighbors about the chickens destroying her property. After a fair amount of warnings I would be making some chicken soup!-from a former owner of a small chicken flock. (04/30/2005)
By Peach
Huh? I don't understand how chicken wire covered with mulch will keep my chickens out of the flowers. Do you mean that they will eventually scratch the mulch away and get caught in the wire and then I will end up having to rescue mad, panicked hens from the wire? (05/27/2005)
The idea is that chickens don't like walking on chicken wire. Probably any similar type of fencing would work. I doubt they would get caught in it if you laid it flat on the ground. It does surprise me that it would be effective with mulch on it but maybe it would be with a thin layer, that's assuming that chickens don't like walking on wire in the first place. I don't have chickens so I personally couldn't test it. Pretty cheap and easy solution to try out in a small area. (05/27/2005)
By ThriftyFun
I have chickens and my mother simply puts vinegar around her flower bed. It seems to help. (08/12/2005)
By Chickenboy14
I just read on another web site that using mothballs is both toxic to the chickens and to humans. So please don't try this method. (04/13/2006)
By taterbug
My grandfather put an electric fence around his yard. There are two wires running parallel to the ground, one about 6" off the ground, and one 1' off the ground. It only took the chickens a couple of times to learn their lesson. Now they stay away from his gardens and bird feeders. (04/16/2006)
By
Are you sure there are no laws about chickens roaming in a residential area. You should call your town Code Enforcement Office. I had that problem. They destroyed my flowers, messed on my new concrete driveway constantly, etc., etc. I had no complaint with the chickens, but with their owner. I nicely explained to him what his chickens were doing to my property. He still let them run loose. I then had to let him know I didn't want anymore chickens in my yard or he would be paying code enforcement a big fine and surrendering his chickens. They were only 3 chickens, but they did enough damage for 20. (06/14/2007)
By Stngray
I have called zoning and there is no anti-chicken rule in my residential neighborhood. However, they have rules about lions and tigers. So helpful. (06/15/2007)
By Holly
Just use a garden hose with a jet attachment, chickens hate getting wet and they'll soon associate the flower beds with getting wet! (11/05/2007)
By Brian Kenneth
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