Q & A: How Do I Keep My Free Range Backyard Chickens From Destroying My Garden?

[nannettelewis]

You: "The chickens have never hopped out into a neighbors yard" Me: I don't blame them. If I lived in your yard I would never hop out either."
 It's pure Goodness and Abundance you are procreating and I thank you for sharing it with us!

[killercuddles]

Best video to understand for a new guy. Thank you for not wasting 20 minutes explaining that. Thanks for not showing you're who life n such.

[ivanalalusic]

My chickens are free ranged all day but they go into their little coop at night (it's actually a large dog house with a door and a roosting perch inside) and all i do is i grab a few handfuls of ckicken feed and throw it onto the grass so they have to scratch and search for filling food. They are allowed to eat whichever plants they want but i do block off the very tiny plants and the easily destroyed ones, occasionally i will scatter some live mealworms onto the grass too so they get some more protein. I dont have any nesting boxes, instead i have hollow logs and a couple of large holes in the dirt that are partially covered with wood. I have tried nesting boxes but they just dont use them. They have their own little pond to drink from and they love to perch on the branches of my apple tree. As you can tell, I try to make their life as natural as possible.

[AtwoodKnives]

To me, this is the way people should keep chickens, if they can. I love this arrangement you having going and it's a good deal for all parties involved. I bet those eggs are awesome!

[athatcher]

excellent video brother!!!! your girls look super happy and healthy. you deffinetly nailed it on the head when you said the flock size depends on the amount of space. the balance of things. so inspirational my friend!!!

[wendyhonnor]

Dan, that video about chickens was incredibly helpful. I have 5 chicken to 1100 square metres. Great ideas here. I agree.

[reneeodayok]

luck. If you have a traditional garden you can not let chickens out without a fence and clipping wings. As soon as you till those chickens will forever be in your garden and they will DESTROY it. With more people gardening and keeping chickens this year I think it's important to note that this method may work for some with a similar situation and a lot of time and experience but not how you want to start out. Good luck out there

[castleofcostamesa]

Thank you so much for your video! It is helpful and I will try using cages to establish new plants around my 12 free-ranging urban backyard chickens.

[charitygondwe]

Thank you for the fencing idea. I will mostly use it for my hibiscus plants in pots that are attacked relentlessly by my landlord's chickens.

[FrancineRossoni]

Hi Dan. Thanks for all the info on Hugelkultur! You mentioned Mugwart which is THE favorite edible of my chickens and goats. I believe that having abundance all around me truly makes me "complete" and whole with my environment. I am looking forward to having my husband help me with establishing some Hugelkultur beds. Regards, Francine

[tkomla]

Most helpful. Thank you! Recently had to rehome my free range flock as I began losing them to stray dogs. Will try this with my next flock in fenced 70 x 90 garden space. Thank you so much.

[ediecatto]

Fairly new to you site and just found the chicken video playlist. I would enjoy more chicken videos!

[AndyX]

great set up man... I also let mine dig thru and mix up the compost piles .. they add their dropping as well....they love it

[Wendyann]

Awesome. Love that beautiful white crested hen. Your garden is fabulous.

[sophieclarke]

Your garden and chickens are gorgeous!!!!

[marcrejas]

I have 7 acres of land...and my chickens still eat the flowering plants in our planter boxes.

[stevenfeil]

Diversity of plants should also be helpful. I also see lots of open ground for them to scratch.

[mollyvanatta]

Thank you for this helpful video! This will be our first year vegitable gardening and having chickens. Looking forward to learning how to make both work! Thanks again.

[tsonja]

This was very encouraging. I am drawing out my garden and chicken area now and wanted to have them free range around and through the garden. I am thinking that they will take care of bugs and snakes too...

[marisollopez]

the butt attack at the end was the best part! lol jk. thanks for this video. very informative