Chickens are one of the most common animals kept as pets in the United States. They have been a staple for many households as they provide an entertaining and beautiful addition to your garden. However, these feathered friends can cause quite a bit of damage if they get loose in your garden.
If you find yourself having trouble keeping them out of your garden, here are some helpful tips on how to keep chickens out of your garden.
The 7 Quickest and Easiest Ways to Keep Chickens Out of Your Garden
1. Build a fence that is tall and strong
The first step in keeping chickens out of your garden is to build a fence that is tall and strong. This will discourage the birds from jumping over it, which makes it easier to keep them outside of the area.
2. Keep your yard free of all food sources
If you have an animal pen for your chickens then make sure there are no sources for food in your yard so the chickens don’t have an easy time getting into your garden.
3. Use predator-proof fencing
Another option for keeping chickens out of your garden is predator-proof fencing that has small openings on each side or just one opening in the top so predators can’t get in.
4. Install an electric fence
An electric fence can deter chickens from getting into your garden by shocking them every time they come near it.
5. Paint lines on the ground around your flower beds
Paint lines on the ground around your flower beds and then put chicken wire on top of those lines to deter chickens from digging up plants or eating them
6. Dig up any nearby grassy areas
Digging up any nearby grassy areas would be helpful because it keeps the birds away from places they might like to lay eggs
7. Plant thorny plants, like roses, within range of their reach
Planting thorny plants within a range of their reach may help keep the birds away because these types of plants are often found near fences or walls and are difficult to eat
How to Prevent Chickens From Getting in the Garden
The first step to keeping chickens out of your garden is to make sure there are no openings in your fence. They will most likely find an opening if there is a hole or if you have too much vegetation on the outside of the fence. If this happens, it’s time to start digging up the area around the fence line and filling in any holes that might be there.
Chickens will also jump over fences so it’s best to keep them at least six feet away from any fencing or walls that surround your property.
In addition, you can create a barrier around your chicken coop by placing rocks next to your fence and then covering it with wire mesh. Chickens don’t like jumping over anything so they will probably be less inclined going through rocks than they would jump over wire mesh!
What to Do If Chickens Get Into the Garden
The first thing you should do is to put up a fence around the garden. This will make sure that they stay in and you will be able to keep them contained so they don’t cause too much damage.
If the fence doesn’t work, you can try putting up netting or sprinkling water on top of the plants. This will not only make it difficult for the chickens to get in, but it will also help deter them from eating your plants.
Another option would be to spray ammonia or another repellent around openings and entrances of your garden. Just remember, chicken poop is going to smell up your entire garden if they’re allowed inside.
Conclusion
Chickens are great to keep your yard or garden looking fresh and green, but they can cause a little bit of trouble for your plants. There are a few easy tweaks you can make to keep chickens out of your garden.
With a little bit of time and effort, you can keep your garden from being trampled, and let the chickens enjoy the fresh new plant life in your yard!
