How to Keep Open Range Chickens out of Flower Beds

Open, or free range, chickens roam freely without the confines of a cage or fencing. They forage for food and will seek out places that are easy for them to scratch and dig. Flower beds present an optimal place for insects and tiny pebbles that they require for digestion. Open range chickens will also dig holes in exposed soil in which to take a dust bath. Discouraging chickens from choosing your flower bed is not an easy task.

Things You'll Need

• Rake
• Tape measure
• Wire cutters
• 1-foot-tall chicken fencing
• Small rocks

Instructions

1. Rake mulch surrounding your flowers at least 6 inches from the garden's edge. Measure the length and width of your garden.

2. Cut the chicken fencing (this is a small wire fence that can be purchased at any garden center) in half lengthwise, creating two 6-inch-high pieces of fencing. Use the length measurement to cut lengths of fencing to fit the front and back sides of your garden. Use the width measurement to cut lengths of fencing to fit the sides of your garden.

3. Lay the longest pieces of fencing flat on the ground in front of the flower bed and in the back. Lay the shortest pieces of fencing flat on the ground on either end of the flower bed.

4. Cover the chicken fencing with a 1-inch layer of small rocks. This will hold the fencing in place and discourage chickens from scratching and digging in the flower bed.

Tips & Warnings

• Let your chickens into your flower beds in the late fall and early spring so they can remove unwanted insects and seeds, and also aerate the soil.

References

• No Dig Vegetable Garden
• Back Yard Chickens