If your yard or garden has ever been damaged by a roaming free-range chicken, you know how much it can damage in a short amount of time. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to prevent chickens from trampling, scratching, or pecking in certain areas.
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Part 1 of 3: Getting Rid of Chickens
Step 1. Use water to scare the chickens away
Just spray water with a hose whenever you see chickens roaming around the yard. Just don't spray high pressure water. Thus, the chicken will feel scared but not hurt.
- Chickens will usually return as soon as you spray the water the first time. However, if this step is done consistently, the chickens will eventually connect your yard to the water and start avoiding it.
- Spraying water with a hose requires that you be in the yard when the chickens start to roam there. So you may not always be able to do it. Therefore, you may need to install an automatic sprinkler to repel the chickens when you are not there.
Step 2. Sprinkle the spices around the yard
Sprinkle spice powders such as cinnamon, paprika, garlic, curry powder, black pepper, chili pepper, salt, or a spice mix containing one or more of these spices on the ground or between plants. Also, sprinkle the powder around your yard.
- Most chickens don't like the smell of strong spices and so will tend to avoid areas that emit that scent.
- If the chicken continues to hang around an area sprinkled with spices, the powder will stick to the soles of its feet and cause a burning or stinging sensation. The chicken won't be seriously hurt by the spice powder, but usually, the sensation will be bothersome enough to successfully drive it out of your yard.
Step 3. Use orange peel
Collect lemon, lime, or orange peels and spread them around the garden and between rows of plants.
- You can also spray lime or lime juice on the garden soil. Use orange juice in place of or with the peel.
- To maximize the benefits, you can even chop a lemon or lime and spread the slices throughout the garden.
- Chickens generally don't like citrus smells, and this smell may be enough to repel them. If the chicken tries to eat the citrus fruit, the sour taste will usually also repel it. However, citrus fruits won't actually hurt the chicken.
Step 4. Plant herbs that chickens don't like
Some plants are naturally disliked by chickens. If you're growing them in your garden, place them between rows of plants that chickens tend to like. The smell of plants that the chickens don't like may be enough to repel them.
- Many perennial herbs are suitable for this purpose. Some options you might consider include oregano, thyme, lavender, mint, lemon balm, marjoram, chamomile, and sweet woodruff.
- Mature perennial herbaceous plants are also firmly rooted in the soil, making it difficult for curious chickens to pry them out.
- If possible, plant mature plants and do not use seeds or seedlings. Only mature herbaceous plants are strong enough to withstand a chicken attack. Meanwhile, younger plants may be too weak.
- Other plants known to repel chickens include perennials such as nasturtiums, water henna, alyssum, petunias, and marigolds. However, in areas that do not provide much food, this plant can be attacked by chickens.
Step 5. Weeds selectively
Chickens prefer bare ground. So, an area with lots of weeds or other dense plants is less frequent for chickens than a well-organized garden with an empty area of land.
- If weed growth bothers you, another option is to plant flowers or vegetables closer together than usual. This may hinder the development of some plants, but a more bushy garden may save your entire crop.
- However, some plants cannot grow crowded. If weeds are causing your plants to wilt, try removing some of them without completely emptying the area. Avoid empty space gaps the size of a chicken's body in your garden or yard.
Part 2 of 3: Preventing Chickens from Approaching
Step 1. Fence the plants
The easiest way to prevent chicken attacks on certain plants is to fence them off. A simple fence made of chicken wire and supports is usually enough to keep the chickens from getting close.
- Attach tomato cages to the plants you want to protect, or thread 2 or 4 poles around them.
- Place chicken wire around the post vertically so that the plant is completely protected.
- This wire fence only needs to be 15-30 cm high to prevent chickens from getting close.
Step 2. Cover the garden soil with wire mesh
If you want to protect a large area of mulch, newly planted seeds, or plant seeds, you can do this by covering the entire garden soil with wire mesh. Most chickens don't like to walk on wires. So usually, these animals will stay away.
- Purchase a small perforated deer net and spread it over the area you want to protect. Place heavy stones or bricks at the edge of the net as ballast so that the net doesn't lift off the ground.
- Alternatively, buy a wire mesh and cut it into a large rectangle that will cover the entire area you want. Cut a small square at each corner and bend the corners to form perpendicular legs. Place this wire mesh box directly over the area you want to protect. This net box should be able to stand without any other supports.
Step 3. Place stones around the base of the plant
Another way to protect individual plants is to surround them with medium to large bricks or stones. These stones should be large enough that the chickens cannot move them.
- Wait for the seeds of the plant to begin to germinate before placing stones around them. That way, you'll know exactly where the plant's base is and won't get in the way of it accidentally.
- Try to use stones that have a diameter or width of at least 15 cm. Rocks smaller than this may be too light and can be shifted by very aggressive chickens.
- Surround the entire plant base with stones or bricks. Try to minimize the gaps in this stone ring.
Step 4. Plant in pots
Most chickens don't bother plants in tall pots because they have to put in extra effort. Growing an entire plant in a pot may not be practical, but if there's a plant you really want to protect, potting it may be a safer option.
In dealing with very aggressive chickens, you may need to take a few extra steps even if you're already using a pot. Place the plant on the veranda, patio, or a place where the chickens can't reach. Or, place stones or bricks around the bottom of the potted plant just as if you were planting it directly in the ground
Part 3 of 3: Herding Chickens Somewhere Else
Step 1. Don't leave any empty areas in your garden
Chickens are attracted to bare ground. If the plants in your garden are growing thickly, but there is a separate vacant lot nearby, most chickens will not disturb your garden and move closer to the vacant lot.
- Clear an area of 1 square meter (1 m long and 1 m wide). Clean the area of all kinds of plants, including weeds and grass. Leave the area blank.
- Chickens will approach the area and scratch and look for insects there. Chickens will also often use this area for dust bathing. If there is a special place for chickens to do this activity, your garden will be safer from disturbance.
- It is also a good idea to sprinkle diatomaceous earth on bare soil areas every few months to repel chicken mites.
Step 2. Create a separate garden for the chickens
If the chickens you're trying to get rid of are your own, you may want to consider creating two separate gardens. One garden for you and another for the chickens. Plant a garden for chickens with a variety of healthy plants that they can eat.
- This method will give the best results when used in conjunction with other chicken repelling techniques. Creating a separate garden for the chickens may not be enough to solve your problem.
- Chicken gardens should have shrubs and shrubs to protect the chickens from the sun or predators.
- Plant perennial evergreen shrubs so the chickens also have protection in the dry season.
- Growing edible shrubs will also benefit the chickens. Shrub berries, such as elderberries and blueberries are generally good choices. Growing plants like this can also help you save on the cost of raising your own chickens.
