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Post by Shirls on Aug 5, 2014 10:55:58 GMT
Now I am the proud owner of three baby chooks, I am sadly no longer the owner of any lovely flowers!!! I had some stunning large, red begonias I think the following picture will give you a rough idea:  I put the flower pots on two bricks as you will see and still the chickens jumped up and pecked them to bits! just for good measure herewith a chookie picture: if you didn't know anything about chickens you would think this was a dead one, yes?  Anyway, after digressing, I would like to know if any of you lovely people who have experience of chickens starlingqueen (for one) have any suggestions for flowers that chickens DON'T eat?? |
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Post by starlingqueen on Aug 5, 2014 11:08:46 GMT
Sorry Shrils, the only thing left in my garden after the chooks took over were the shrubs and stinging nettles. And even some of the shrubs were bald as far up as they could reach. The problem is, even if they don't eat them they dig them up or bury them. We only got the garden back after we put the chooks inside a run and supervise when they are out. You could try sectioning off part of the garden for them. We had to do this when we got one chook who took a dislike to my dog and would fly at him and kick him every time he was in the garden, one of the others started joining in so we had to protect Teddy who would just stand there and take it, we had to rescue him or who knows what they would have done. We used chicken wire to cut the garden in half. Strangely, when the fox attacked Fern we found the other 2 had flown over the fence and were standing by the back door when we went out. They knew the safe place to go and cleared the fence in their fright.
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Post by Shirls on Aug 6, 2014 7:26:28 GMT
Oh dear! Thank you starlingqueen. I know what you mean as the chookss do walk on/through/over everything!! (even each other!!) I am having a large run built next week (hopefully) so that will preserve some of my garden. I have noticed however that the chooks don't eat the lavender that I have in a large pot (yet!!) |
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Post by stace on Aug 6, 2014 7:31:26 GMT
Little blighters. Can you rig up some hanging pots and hang them with brackets from the fence? Might be too heavy?
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Post by stace on Aug 6, 2014 7:33:14 GMT
ignore this. made a wrong thread post.
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Post by Shirls on Aug 6, 2014 8:26:08 GMT
Don't think you made a mistake there stace. That is however a good idea, but perhaps small pots that would attach to the fence. I think that would look really nice, with some short, non hanging flowers in!! |
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Post by samwiseg on Aug 6, 2014 8:32:10 GMT
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Post by Shirls on Aug 6, 2014 14:22:17 GMT
Thank you samwiseg.  Sorry - don't like fake flowers!!!  But thanks for the suggestion!!  |
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Post by skysmum on Aug 6, 2014 20:49:48 GMT
OMG if i had seen that anywhere else i seriously would have thought that poor chook had expired  . Little devil's eating everything in their path, is there anything that is poisonous to them? |
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Post by starlingqueen on Aug 6, 2014 21:07:29 GMT
OMG if i had seen that anywhere else i seriously would have thought that poor chook had expired . Little devil's eating everything in their path, is there anything that is poisonous to them? She is having a dust bath. Anything they can't eat the trample and dig up. |
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Post by Shirls on Aug 7, 2014 11:30:39 GMT
OMG if i had seen that anywhere else i seriously would have thought that poor chook had expired . Little devil's eating everything in their path, is there anything that is poisonous to them? Your first comment skysmum made me chuckle, but I totally agree with you. They do like their dirt baths my chooks. I put the remainder of a sack of compost (which I grew potatoes in - not very successfully I might add) on to the small patch of ground that I have and the little wotsits even bathed in that and you know what dark brown compost is like!!!! Mind you, one of them kept finding little worms as well, they didn't last long. There is quite a list of things that are poisonous to chooks actually, ivy and tomato leaves to name just two. I do have loads of ivy in the garden (and some tomato plants) but they don't seem to eat it so they must instinctively know not to. |
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Post by Shirls on Aug 7, 2014 11:32:44 GMT
That is so true starlingqueen, they don't step over a single thing, just barge straight on, they don't go round anything!! |
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Post by stace on Aug 8, 2014 8:17:57 GMT
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Post by Shirls on Aug 8, 2014 15:58:31 GMT
Your timing is absolutely 'spot on' stace! I have just come in from barricading my tomato plants in as I have also just found out that my chooks like tomatoes!! So funny to see one run off with one in her beak, but it was my first ripe tomato!!! I have looked quickly at the link you sent and have saved it to my 'favourites' There are some very good and interesting tips on there which I shall refer back to very soon. Thank you so much!! |
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Post by starlingqueen on Aug 8, 2014 16:17:11 GMT
Your timing is absolutely 'spot on' stace! I have just come in from barricading my tomato plants in as I have also just found out that my chooks like tomatoes!! So funny to see one run off with one in her beak, but it was my first ripe tomato!!! I have looked quickly at the link you sent and have saved it to my 'favourites' There are some very good and interesting tips on there which I shall refer back to very soon. Thank you so much!! They love anything red. If one of the chooks gets a cut that bleeds the others will peck at it until the chook dies. So keep an eye out for that. Also don't ever go near them if you have a fresh cut or the same will happen, but probably not until you are dead as I'm sure you can get away.  The colour red signifies a injury/weakness and therefore food. Red nail varnish on toes is also a no no around them, they will peck at you toes and chase you. I have an anti peck spray they is not only antiseptic but also purple. If one of the girls ever get a cut she will be sprayed with that until it heals. |
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Sorry - don't like fake flowers!!! 
But thanks for the suggestion!! 
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The colour red signifies a injury/weakness and therefore food. Red nail varnish on toes is also a no no around them, they will peck at you toes and chase you. I have an anti peck spray they is not only antiseptic but also purple. If one of the girls ever get a cut she will be sprayed with that until it heals.