What did YOU do in your garden today :P

@kathiesgarden I let my hens out in the back yard to free range. They scratch. They dig holes that rival my Great Pyrenees-and she's part John Deere excavator. They eat almost anything. I have a7'x16' garden spot in the backyard and when I was finished with the winter garden, I opened the gate and let them in. They stripped the broccoli and ate the rye grass (I let it grow with them in mind) and tore the ground up! They really enjoyed themselves.

I have them in a 8'x7' coop with a 12'x8' run. I gather fall leaves and fill the coop and run with them. I pack leaves in 3' deep and they eat, scratch, poop and make compost. In about 4 months, they reduce 3' to 8" and I dig it out and use it in the garden. I toss in weeds, kitchen trimmings, garden leftovers, pea hulls, corn shucks, cobs and stalks, grass clippings, just about anything. What they don't eat, they compost. I love my girls. I live in town, so I don't keep a rooster.

My garden is in the front yard. I wish I could turn them in the front yard garden, but that won't work. Yes, they do eat slugs, snails, bugs, and they will eat the garden too. Fence them out, let them to "clean up" when you're done for the season. Chickens are awesome!

Thanks Baymule, you have really inspired me. Thanks for the tips about how you manage them in your garden. I like the idea of a fall 'cleanup crew' who also provides 'instant' compost. Do you use them for meat or eggs or both? Thanks also for the dimensions of your coop and run, that was very helpful for me.

Kathie

@Marshall, ah, the life of a gardener!

@kathiesgarden I have layers for the eggs. When a hen gets about 3 years old, she still lays, but not as much as a younger hen. I butcher at 3-4 years old for the soup pot. They are the ultimate backyard/garden livestock/pet!

let me go find pics of the coop and run. it's a hoop run-easy to build and I love it! I started with the coop and 2 hens. Be sure to use hardware cloth-not chicken wire. Chicken wire is easy for raccoons or dogs to rip apart.



Chicken composters. the little red round grains in hen scratch, called milo, came up in the garden and I let it grow to give back to the hens.



The hoop run. It is made from 16' cow panels, bowed over, stapled to a frame and covered in hardware cloth. The door and frame in the end was easy to make.

Kathie, I love having chickens- and while they are "helping" in the garden right now...as soon as I plant they will be banished to their chicken yard. Since it is their nature to scratch the ground they will dig your plants right up- and they won't hesitate to eat whatever plant they like, as well. That being said chickens make great gardening partners. Their poop is great fertilizer, they love to eat weeds pulled from the garden, they eat all manner of leftover kitchen scraps. I have dual purpose birds- I use them for eggs, and when they are old, use them as soup birds. You might want to ask your neighbors if they could spare some of their chicken poop...if they don't garden, they probably have an abundance. It is hot fertilizer- but after it ages, it is wonderful in the garden.
Chickens will also ruin your lawn/grass. It is best to keep them away from any plantings you want to keep!
Good to hear your dahlias made it through...I need to get mine planted. Happy Gardening!

Great set-up, Baymule! That worked out perfectly!

Since this is a private message to Kathy and it is not like I am publishing any personal failings, do NOT name your chickens, Kathy!

Other than that little banty Grandmother gave me, I never had a 3year-old or older hen. Never named them anything other than #1, #2, Stupid, Greedy, etc.

I'm down to my favorite hen, Olivia. Edna died last fall at the age of 6. Olivia hasn't produced an egg in over a year.

I've had small flocks of laying hens many times. Even as a tiny chick, Olivia has always acted as tho she needed me even if it was just so she could hide under my hand so she could go to sleep. Edna liked me and both followed me around. I lost Spring early, I blame rhubarb leaves. Never name your chickens.

Steve

heh, after some time of naming chickens you get them mixed up and could upset someone in the pecking order!

i admit i stopped naming fish some time ago, but i can't get away from naming chickens, even the roos. i do have a rule though, the mean roos get a trip to freezer camp regardless of being named. the hens i usually don't have problems with attitudes so they get to live a longer life with the flock. though i did just loose my oldest, Sweetie Pie, she hadn't laid an egg since the first year i owned her. she made it to 6 1/2 years old for a bantam frizzle cochin. she had personality and spunk that kept the younger generations mostly in check.

i don't know what i would do without a flock of chicken to give me their useful poop for my garden! i know my slowly expanding garden spaces are going to be a work in progress over the next dozen or so years.

@baymule , that's a really good looking setup! I love the flowers on the coop.