How can I keep chickens out of my garden?

[mozzar_ELLA]

Taller, floppier fence may do it - won't look pretty, but you could try extending your existing fence with like 2' of chicken wire, snow fencing, anything that's too flimsy for them to land on. Many times when chickens fly a fence, they'll land on top before launching over, so this will discourage them landing on top.

Netting over the top will stop them for sure, but may be difficult to do if you have taller plants.

Ya unfortunately I have 8 foot hollyhocks bordering the whole exposed half of the garden so netting the top of the garden wouldnt really be an option.
Do you think large plastic birds spikes could train them not to hop up?

 

[mozzar_ELLA]

If they're pullets now, sooner or later you'll see them fluttering over the top of your fence, especially now that they've discovered tasty tender treats. We have a combination of raised beds and a garden plot. We finally gave up and built rough tents of scrap lumber and chicken wire to go over the garden plants and the raised beds. Ours will still try to poke their heads through to nibble the leaves but at least there are veggies for us this year! An added bonus -- the squirrels were worse than the chickens and our chicken wire tents are a barrier for them too. Win win!

Yes! I was starting to think maybe I’d have to try to build sort of a cold frame window lid (but with chicken wire) for my raised beds. My raised beds are really the only place any of my girls have destroyed anything. The rest of the garden they eat the weeds and trample the herbs a little. Totally crazy

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ya unfortunately I have 8 foot hollyhocks bordering the whole exposed half of the garden so netting the top of the garden wouldnt really be an option.
Do you think large plastic birds spikes could train them not to hop up?

I've never tried the spikes, but you could give it a go. If they work for you (or even if they don't) hope you'll report back so we all can learn from it.

 

[aart]

Romance meets Reality.
Fence 'em in or fence 'em out.

 

[Pghelp]

Yes! I was starting to think maybe I’d have to try to build sort of a cold frame window lid (but with chicken wire) for my raised beds. My raised beds are really the only place any of my girls have destroyed anything. The rest of the garden they eat the weeds and trample the herbs a little. Totally crazy

I'm planning on letting them have at the garden once we've harvested the veggies. They do a great job of cleaning up. We've found the tents really work. My husband made them so that it's a removable A frame shape with stapled chicken wire on one side and then removable panels on the "chicken" side. That way I can pull off a 3' panel at a time to work on the garden but the rest is still blocked from the marauders.

 

[aart]

I'm planning on letting them have at the garden once we've harvested the veggies. They do a great job of cleaning up. We've found the tents really work. My husband made them so that it's a removable A frame shape with stapled chicken wire on one side and then removable panels on the "chicken" side. That way I can pull off a 3' panel at a time to work on the garden but the rest is still blocked from the marauders.

That sounds great!
Got pics?

 

[Pghelp]

Here's an end view looking into the bed and then 2 shots of a section, one with the frame up and one with frame removed. These were made from salvaged concrete blocks from a collapsed wall so interior growing area is about 3x9 and height is a bit less than 5'. The frame rests on the blocks.

 

[mozzar_ELLA]

Here's an end view looking into the bed and then 2 shots of a section, one with the frame up and one with frame removed. These were made from salvaged concrete blocks from a collapsed wall so interior growing area is about 3x9 and height is a bit less than 5'. The frame rests on the blocks.

WoW that looks great!

 

[Pghelp]

We learned our frames aren't tall enough for corn or for some tomatoes, but they work great for highly desirable salad greens, kale (which my chix love!), chard and other shorter veggies. It's handy right next to the coop so when we pull out the old plants we toss them to the flock.