Chickens in the Vegetable Garden

When I plant a new bed, I run a 2'-3' tall plastic fence around it and hold it in place with short thin bamboo poles or broken bean poles. Just weave them through the fencing and stick in the ground. It is just enough of a barrier to keep the girls from wandering into the bed and scratching it up. When the plants are mature, I remove the fence and let the "bug patrol" in. If I just add a couple of new plants to a existing bed of mature plants, I will lay a small tomato cage down to protect the new plant.

The girls are always hanging out in the squash bed, leaving never a squash bug to be found! Or they like to do a little dust bath under the tomatoes. I never see a tomato horn worm either. This is organic pest control. They are good garden companions too: Always glad to see you, keeping you company and giving you someone to talk to! 😊

The garden is fenced to keep out deer. It also helps to protect the girls from predators during the day. I do lock them up at night. I have trained them to go "Nite, Nite" when I tell them to. That way it is on my schedule - not theirs! They get stubborn sometimes, and a prod from a bean pole reminds them.