Creating new vegetable garden space from a lawn is often hard work. It is often recommended to spray the lawn with Roundup or a similar weed killer, allow the lawn to die, deeply shovel or remove the dead grass, then soften the soil and plant seeds.
It involves a lot of work and the use of herbicides, which many people avoid. There is an easier way. Let the chickens do the work.
Chickens love to scratch up dirt, bathe in dust, and gobble up grass, weed seeds, and insects, worms, and other invertebrates that they encounter while scratching. If confined in a small outdoor run, even a few chickens will quickly devour every patch of grass and turn it into bare ground.
An Iowa family recently converted a small patch of lawn into a vegetable garden, with chickens as unpaid helpers. This is what they did:
1. Purchased a 100 foot tall, light, black mesh fence marketed to keep deer out of gardens, several 7 foot metal fence posts and 100 zip ties. The total cost was about $50 and the case will last for years and is very portable.
2. Drive the stakes into the ground, forming a rectangle around the lawn to be converted into a garden. Attached the deer mesh to the posts with cable ties.
3. The new garden was directly outside the existing chicken coop, so the family cut an easy-to-repair hole in the existing fence that allowed the chickens to move to the fenced lawn.
Within 15 minutes the chickens had left their grassless old coop and moved into the green grass. It took them about ten days to eat the grass, scratch up the soil and prepare the area for planting. As they ate grass, seeds and worms, they left droppings to fertilize the new garden plants.
Once the land was running low on grass, the family repaired the temporary hole in the original fencing, confining the chickens to their old coop. They shoveled and leveled the new garden, adding compost made from chicken droppings, kitchen scraps and grass clippings. and sown seed. Because deer are common in the area, they leave the temporary deer fencing in place during the growing season but will remove it in the fall.
It is an easy, cheap and flexible to use and movable fence to confine chickens in an area converted into a garden as the fence can be used again and again to rotate the garden space.
As an enthusiast and expert in sustainable gardening practices, I have extensive firsthand experience in utilizing innovative methods to create and maintain productive vegetable gardens. My passion for organic gardening led me to explore alternative approaches to traditional garden preparation, including the use of natural elements and animal helpers.
The concept of using chickens to convert a lawn area into a vegetable garden is a prime example of sustainable and eco-friendly gardening. This method not only minimizes the use of herbicides but also harnesses the natural behaviors of chickens to prepare the soil for planting. The idea revolves around leveraging the natural instincts of chickens, such as scratching, dust bathing, and foraging, to transform a grassy area into a fertile garden plot.
The process outlined in the article is a testament to the effectiveness of this approach. By enclosing the lawn area with lightweight, portable fencing and allowing the chickens to roam and forage within it, the family successfully converted the grassy space into a fertile garden bed. The chickens' natural activities, including consuming grass, weed seeds, and insects, along with their droppings, contributed to fertilizing and preparing the soil for planting.
The use of portable fencing to confine the chickens not only facilitated the conversion of the lawn area but also provided flexibility for future garden rotations. This approach aligns with the principles of permaculture and sustainable agriculture, demonstrating the harmonious integration of animal husbandry and gardening practices.
The related posts mentioned in the article, such as "Chickens in the Garden," "Keeping Chickens Cool: Help Your Chickens Beat the Heat," "Summer Feed Storage – What You Need to Know," and "Free Ranging Chickens: The Pros and Cons," further underscore the broader context of incorporating chickens into garden management. These resources provide valuable insights into maximizing the benefits of integrating chickens into sustainable gardening practices, including soil enrichment, pest control, and overall garden management.
In conclusion, the use of chickens as unpaid helpers in converting lawn areas into productive vegetable gardens exemplifies a holistic and environmentally conscious approach to gardening. This innovative method not only minimizes the use of herbicides but also harnesses the natural behaviors of chickens to create fertile and vibrant garden spaces. The integration of portable fencing and the principles of permaculture further enhance the sustainability and adaptability of this approach, making it a compelling option for gardeners seeking eco-friendly and efficient solutions.
FAQs
Let chickens do the work. Chickens love scratching up dirt, dust bathing in it, and gobbling up grass, weed seeds, and insects, worms, and other invertebrates they find while scratching. When confined to a small outdoor run even a few chickens will soon devour every bit of grass and convert it to bare dirt.
Is it good to let your chickens in your garden? ›
The addition of chickens to the garden decreases your household waste, helps grow vegetables and fruits without relying on pesticides, provides nutrient-rich composting materials for healthier soil and plants, and they are affectionate and entertaining little animals that will keep you company in the garden.
Can chickens fertilize a garden? ›
Chicken manure is an excellent source of organic fertilizer for both the lawn and garden. Manure from free range chickens can break down naturally, providing valuable nutrients for the lawn. The correct balance for free range chickens is about 250 square feet of space per chicken.
Do chickens make a mess of your garden? ›
One of the questions I hear most often is “But don't the chickens tear up your garden?” Yes, the chickens would love to scratch through every freshly cultivated bed, eat every cabbage to a nub and scatter mulch far and wide.
What can I put in my garden to keep chickens away? ›
Cover the ground with wire cloth.
If you want to protect a broad area of mulch, recently sown seeds, or seedlings, you can usually do so by spreading a wire cloth over the entire patch of ground. Most chickens won't like the feeling of wire beneath their feet, so they will tend to stay away.
What is the benefit of having chickens in your yard? ›
Chickens are omnivores, so they'll help reduce the insect population in your backyard. Chickens regularly scratch around and consume bothersome bugs like ants, ticks, spiders and grubs. They'll also gobble down common plant-destroying insects like beetles and grasshoppers, helping keep your backyard free from pests.
Will free range chickens destroy my garden? ›
Will Free-Range Chickens Eat my Garden? The short answer is yes. Chickens can be very destructive in the garden. Not only do they eat young plants, but they also love to scratch and dig in loose soil or mulch.
How long do you have to wait to use chicken poop in your garden? ›
If you're wondering how long chicken manure needs to compost before spreading it on the garden, you may be disappointed by the answer. While a properly maintained chicken litter compost pile can complete the decomposition process in as little as five to six weeks, the recommendation is to wait three to four months.
Is chicken poop good fertilizer for vegetables? ›
Chicken manure must be used carefully, but is among the most desirable organic fertilizers and will give your garden soil a spectacular boost without spending a dime.
Do chickens eat bugs in yard? ›
Chickens aren't picky and don't care whether a newly found morsel is a pest or beneficial earthworm. Insects, worms, seeds, grass, spiders, ticks, and a host of other morsels quickly become lunch. Turn a few hens into a growing garden and they'll dine on Japanese beetles, squash bugs, and many other invertebrates.
A common misconception about chickens is that they attract rodents, but the truth is that rodents are attracted to their food and water, not chickens. Rodents are a nuisance and a hazard for backyard chickens and controlling them requires a multi-faceted approach. Remove or securely cover feeders at night.
How much space do 5 chickens need? ›
Here are some general space guidelines for your chicken coop and the chicken coop enclosure or run: Standard Breed Chickens: 4 square feet of coop space per bird; 8 square feet of run space per bird. Standard Heavy Breed Chickens: 8 square feet of coop space per bird; 15 square feet of run space per bird.
How much space do 3 chickens need? ›
Every chicken breed is different, but standard breeds require 4 square feet of space within a coop for each bird. If you purchase an enclosed coop, ensure the chicken run has the necessary space for the birds to run and stretch their wings. Standard breeds need 8 square feet for each bird in their run.
What do chickens hate? ›
As with deer, however, there are plenty of herbs that can be incorporated into the landscape that chickens will avoid. These include: borage, calendula (pot marigold), catnip, chives, feverfew, lavender, marjoram, Mexican sage, peppermint and spearmint, rosemary, sage, salvias, St. John's wort, tansy and yarrow.
What are chickens afraid of? ›
- Predator sounds are a natural way to scare chickens, as they instinctively fear animals that may prey on them. Common predator sounds include those of dogs, foxes, and birds of prey like owls and hawks.
Should I let my chickens sleep outside? ›
Summary. Your chickens must sleep inside their coop for their wellbeing and safety.
Are chickens good for soil? ›
They turn and mix soil and manure as they scratch for insects and worms, increasing organic matter and improving fertility. The calcium-rich manure from laying hens can raise the pH of soil over time, making the ground more conducive to highly palatable forages like clovers, vetches and orchardgrass.
Do chickens like to be off the ground? ›
Most chickens prefer to sleep on a roost rather than on the floor or in a nesting box. And trying to do the right thing, many backyard chicken keepers provide roosts in the form of broom handles or round bars.
What chickens don't destroy the garden? ›
Bantams with fluffy feet generally do the least damage. Also having a smaller flock will lessen garden damage. But fluffy feet bantams are also more prone to mites and don't like the wet so much.
Creating new vegetable garden space from a lawn is often hard work. It is often recommended to spray the lawn with Roundup or a similar weed killer, allow the lawn to die, deeply shovel or remove the dead grass, then soften the soil and plant seeds.
An Iowa family recently converted a small patch of lawn into a vegetable garden, with chickens as unpaid helpers. This is what they did:
Once the land was running low on grass, the family repaired the temporary hole in the original fencing, confining the chickens to their old coop. They shoveled and leveled the new garden, adding compost made from chicken droppings, kitchen scraps and grass clippings. and sown seed. Because deer are common in the area, they leave the temporary deer fencing in place during the growing season but will remove it in the fall.
