We jumped on the backyard chicken train early last Spring. Since then, some of the initial thrill has gone, but we still love our four chickens. My three kids get fresh eggs every day, which I think is just about the coolest thing ever.
But now they are misbehaving and eating the vegetables in our garden. The lettuce and peas we just planted? Gone.
Does anyone have any ideas for how to keep chickens out of our vegetables?
The most obvious solutions wouldn’t work for us:
1. I don’t want to build a fence around the garden beds…it would look bad and be a pain.
2. I don’t want to keep them cooped-up all summer. They love roaming the yard and I’m a big softy.
I tried sprinkling chili powder. No luck.
I tried cayenne and chipotle powder (it’s what we had in the pantry). No luck either.
I’m thinking maybe an owl statue…or even a statue of a rooster…might work.
Anyone have any tips?
March 7, 2010
The Bigger Picture