How to Keep Chickens Out of the Garden: 11 Effective Tips!

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Backyard chickens are great to have around for eggs, but chickens have a natural instinct to scratch and forage in the dirt, so it is pretty much inevitable that they will find their way into your garden.

Let’s find out how to keep chickens out of the garden with these 11 tips and tricks!

A garden is an excellent source of fresh organic veggies and fruits. However, if you have chickens, it’s best to keep them away from your garden.

Even though chickens can provide manure and clean your garden, they’ll likely do more damage than harm if they are foraging around your young plants.

Will Chickens Damage My Garden?

Yes, they can. Some gardeners have experienced damage to their gardens while their feathered friends are foraging and scratching around.

When plants are young and just starting to grow, chickens have a habit of mowing them over, which will limit the garden’s ability to flourish.

Once the plants are grown and healthy, they can usually withstand a little shuffling through from the chickens.

However, if you have larger plantings that have started to fruit, then it’s a good idea to fence your garden off to keep your food from being eaten up by hungry birds! Your garden may die quickly if you have several chickens eating the fruits and stems.

In most yards where there isn’t an enclosed space like a pen or coop, chickens do roam free (free-range) and can end up eating everything from grass to bugs.

This can lead to overgrazing and erosion, which is why it’s a good idea to protect smaller plants from being eaten by hungry birds by fencing off the areas where young seedlings or fruiting plants may be vulnerable.

So, Should I Let Chickens in My Garden?

If you’ve got larger, stronger, and developed plants in your garden and want to let your chickens in, give it a shot. Maybe try a small number of chickens (1-2 chickens) at first and see how your plants hold up.

If you’ve got delicate plants, flower gardens, or some fruit/vegetable plants that are starting to fruit, then keep them out and keep reading!!

11 Ways to Keep Chickens Out of the Garden

Here are some tips and methods you can use to keep chickens from destroying your garden. This is an important issue to consider with as you learn to raise chickens.

1) Get A Chicken Run

Chickens love to free-roam, but some yards just don’t permit the space to do that. You most likely have some sort of chicken coop to protect your chickens from predators, but you should consider something that gives your chickens a little extra space.

Consider getting a large enclosed chicken run to keep your chickens in an enclosed space while allowing them to roam around on the earthen ground and do chicken things.

Chickens love having the opportunity to free-roam around on earth ground which can lead to increased egg production if given enough time.

A chicken run also helps decrease any chances of predators coming into contact with your flock, as it is securely fenced off instead of being left open or covered in netting (which some people use).

A chicken run is also a great place for dust baths to keep your chickens clean (learn more).

If you’re handy, there are ways to make your own chicken run (https://www.almanac.com/how-to-build-chicken-run).

If you need a durable chicken run quick, we’ve hand-picked a great option that you can purchase online.

Polar Aurora Large Chicken Run

Note: Also, a chicken tractor (a combined coop and chicken run) may be an excellent solution for you. Chicken tractors tend to be a bit more expensive, but may be a better long term option.

2) Garden Fences

Garden fences are a great way to protect your garden from your free-ranging chickens.

Some people may consider garden fencing to be the easiest way to keep chickens out of their garden. This is a great option if you have a large garden because you can fence off the entire garden area.

You can either create a fence to keep chickens in or create a fence around your garden

A fence is also a good option for those who have small gardens and don’t want to take too much time or energy to prevent damage from your feathered friends.

A fence can be as complicated or straightforward as you would like it to be.

If you’re putting up a permanent, high-quality material, then the process will take more time and money than if you were going with something less expensive that is easier to assemble and move around.

How much work are you willing to put into this barrier? How often do your chickens get in your garden?

All these factors should dictate whether or not a fence is worth installing for each individual gardener.

Chicken Wire Fence

If you’re making your own fence, using chicken wire is a great option.

Using posts with chicken wire will act as a cage that protects your plants (or your chickens).

The chicken wire will keep the chickens out of your garden and also help to protect your plants from getting damaged by large animals.

Chicken wire is affordable and easy to use. You can order some online for a great price.

BSTOOL Chicken Wire Net

Bird Netting

If you’re looking for some protection for your plants, bird netting is a great way to keep them safe. Netting can be draped over your plants or wrapped around the area.

People will often use PVC pipes to hold the structure and some fishing lines to keep things taut.

Tips:

• If you’re making a fence to enclose your chickens, you should either make sure the top is secured or make sure the fence is tall enough to keep other predators out. Most chicken keepers recommend a height of at least six feet.
• If you’re making a fence around your garden to protect your plants, you’ll only need to make it 3 to 4 feet tall, as chickens won’t need.
• If you can’t find chicken wire, using hardware cloth or wire fence is a good alternative.
• You can also use tomato cage wire if you’re just looking to protect a few small plants.

3) Place a Motion Sensor Sprinkler System

Remember that chickens hate water for the most part. They prefer to stay away from it as much as they can. So you can use water as a tool to keep chickens away from your garden.

It’s a great way to discourage chickens from entering your garden without having to keep them cooped up all day.

One of the best ways to do so is by using a garden hose. You can spray water when you see chickens are approaching your garden.

This way, you can reduce the damage inflicted by chickens in your garden. But, it is not always possible for you to stay close to your garden all the time.

So, it is best to install a motion sensor sprinkle system. Then, when the chickens approach your garden, the device will spray water.

By doing so, chickens will stay away from your garden. But, the downside to using such a system is that it does not differentiate between chickens and humans.

It would sprinkle water on anyone who approaches the motion detector.

Check out this great option from Amazon.

Orbit Motion-Activated Sprinkler

4) Add Ground Cover

Chickens love to dig, so you have to reduce all the chances of digging in your garden. You can do this by adding ground covers.

Ground covers include covering the bare soil with stones, so the garden isn’t as pleasurable for digging for your chickens.

When it comes to stones, try to use big ones. If you opt for smaller ones, a determined chicken can move them away with ease and continue digging. Of course, you also have to place the stones under your plants but on top of the soil to prevent them from pecking in these areas.

5) Train Your Dog

If you have a pet dog in your house, you may have a great option to protect your garden. However, you’ll have to train them beforehand to keep chickens away. And you’ll have to make sure they won’t harm your chickens.

The primary reason behind this is that dogs like to protect the places they think of as their territory. So once you train your dog to consider your garden as their region, they will act as its protector around the clock.

Besides that, chickens are also afraid of dogs. So, they will try to stay away from your dog too.

When your chickens approach your vegetable garden, your dogs will bark. The barking will frighten the chickens, and they would stay away from your garden.

Some of the best breeds for these kinds of tasks are Shepherd, Labrador, and Terrier. However, many different types of dogs are trainable.

When you get a dog to protect your garden, you have to ensure that your dog will not attack your chickens and kill them.

6) Create A Chicken Garden

If you want to keep chickens pre-occupied, give them their own entire garden so they’ll leave yours alone. Then, your chickens can spend time in their own garden without causing any trouble.

This way, you do not have to be worried about chickens destroying your original garden area.

By creating a specific area for your chickens, you can provide them a place to roam around. Besides that, chickens can also find food in their chicken garden. For that purpose, it is best to have plants and herbs that chickens love in this garden.

You can also obtain chicken manure from your chicken garden. It is highly beneficial in enhancing soil fertility.

When you create a chicken garden, it is best to have them near the chicken coop. This way, chickens will find them with ease.

You also have to encourage your chickens to use this specific area instead of your original garden.

The best way to do so is to have their favorite flowers, vegetables, and weeds.

Whenever you create a chicken garden, ensure that it is free of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Here, you can also have plants and herbs that can furnish your chickens with the required amount of nutrition. Here are some of the plants to consider for your herb garden.

Plants for Chicken Garden

1. Basil is an excellent option. When your chickens consume basil leaves, it can assist in enhancing their immune system. It can also improve their respiratory system.
2. With plants like mint, it is highly beneficial for chickens in overcoming issues like indigestion. Mint can also provide anti-oxidants required for your chickens’ growth and nourishment.
3. When it comes to Chamomile, it can furnish chickens with a calming effect and act as a stress reliever. Chamomile also contains anti-inflammatory properties.

Apart from these plants, there are several other options as well. You can also have weeds, vegetables, and even some essential oils in the chicken garden.

As a long-term approach, you can include perennial plants as well in the garden.

Since your chickens will be spending most of their time there, you have to ensure that they receive a balanced and nutritious diet.

You can also keep wood chips as chickens can find insects and worms from them.

7) Use Plants

Chickens do not like certain kinds of plants and herbs. So, you can grow plants near or in the garden that chickens dislike.

When it comes to flowering plants, you can have lavender, marigold, or both. You can purchase plants like peppermint, rosemary, and calendula from your garden center.

You can have them near or in your vegetable garden. Chickens find them unpleasant and would prefer to stay away from them.

Along with planting plants that chickens dislike, try to avoid vegetables that your chickens love. Some of them include kale, pumpkins, beets, etc.

If you do not want to have a fence in your garden, you can plant shrubs as they can act as live fences.

Shrubs have thicker foliage and prevent chickens from entering your garden. They can also enhance the beauty of your gardens. You can also stop chickens from digging by covering the soil with weeds.

This way, it will be challenging for the chickens to find bare soil to peck.

8) Use Scents They Don’t Like

Chickens do not like fruits and vegetables containing citrus. So, you can place orange and lime peels near your garden to remove chickens. You can also sprinkle orange and lime juice. However, you’ll have to replenish them regularly.

What Smells Keep Chickens Away?

Sprinkling spices is yet another option to keep chickens away. Chickens do not like their smell. You can use chili, curry powder, paprika, garlic, cinnamon for this purpose.

10) Raised Garden Beds and Hanging Plants

If you prefer to create a small garden, you can opt for a raised garden bed or hanging plants. This way, you can keep plants away from the eyesight of the chickens.

When it comes to raised beds, you can create them in unique shapes based on your preference. You can have flowering plants or vegetables in them.

However, you’ll need to ensure that the flower beds receive nourishment to enhance the growth of your plants. You can use organic compost or chicken manure for that purpose.

Most people have hanging plants when they have limited space in their yard. This way, you can place them away from the reach of chickens.

Here, you can hang them on your porch and even near the chicken coop. Apart from flowering plants, you can also grow fruits and vegetables in them.

11) Limiting Free-Range

Chickens love to move around and explore large, open spaces (free-ranging), and we love the idea of free-range chickens. However, you have to decide the time for free-ranging based on different factors.

Most importantly, you have to consider the land to flock ratio.

If you have a small flock and there is enough space for your chickens to move around, they might not focus on your garden. One of the main reasons behind this is that chickens do not concentrate on a particular area.

However, if you don’t have much space, you can limit free-range to specific times of the day. For example, you can allow the chickens to free-range in the evening only.

Chickens wake up early in the morning and are sensitive about light.

So, they will return to the chicken coop soon when you let them out in the evenings. This will help to reduce the time chickens might spend near your garden.

Another effective way is to stay close to the chickens when they are free-ranging. By doing so, you can frighten them away when they approach your garden area.

Based on your requirements, garden, and flock size, you have to choose a method that works best for you. By doing so, you can keep chickens away from your garden with ease.

Keeping Chickens Out – Conclusion

You shouldn’t have to decide between having chickens and having a great garden or flower bed.

Luckily, we’ve summarized a few different ways to help you keep chickens out away from your vulnerable plants. With all these tips and methods, you should be able to keep your flower garden and plants safe from your backyard chickens.

Let us know what method has worked for you or if you have any other methods to share!

Good luck!