Good news - The Battery Hen Welfare Trust has now rescued over 184'000 birds from slaughter. If you think you can give some 'Ex-Bats' a home then see their web site www.bhwt.org.ukfor more details.
Chickens and ducks are of course happiest when they are allowed to free range and it is very pleasurable to see them exploring the garden, finding some of their own food, mopping up slugs, snails and other unwanted insects around the garden. The farmyard image of chickens wandering around is a little disappointing though when you take a closer look and see your plants eaten and scratched up out of the ground, soil scattered over the paths, and dirty great big hollows in the ground that are now full of dust and feathers and being used as dust baths.
Chickens and ducks are distinctly different in the way they forage and the individual breed characteristic will also play a role in how much they forage and how far they will roam. Take a group of hens consisting of different breeds and allow them to free range in a field. You will find birds like Orpingtons will wander around a bit, but will in general stay fairly close to their house and enclosure. A bovan nera hybrid (like the black rock hen) on the other hand will wander off around the field, exploring every hedgerow, constantly scratching and searching for food. Their breed characteristics make them better foragers. Ducks also vary, one of the best foragers is the Indian Runner and, like the Black Rocks, they will wander far around the hedgerows in search of insects, slugs and snails amongst other things.
So what is the best way to ‘Free Range' chickens and ducks in the garden if they do so much damage? What if you have a vegetable plot?
Ducks.
Well for a start, ducks do not scratch at the ground like chickens do so they can be allowed everywhere in the garden. They will however eat some young / tender plants so it is best to keep them out until all of your plants are well established. In the vegetable garden they will eat crops like spinach, chard, lettuce, French beans, cabbage and cauliflower not to mention any ripe fruit that they can reach so it is best to either net these, fence them off or don't allow them in when growing these. The great news is ducks are VERY efficient exterminators of slugs and snails. Just a few ducks will clean up an area of these garden pests in no time at all. If you can get a few ducks to go over the garden (or allotment) before planting and again after turning the soil over, they will give your plants a great start. Remember though - don't use slug pellets or you could end up poisoning your ducks. When the weather is wet, or there is wet mud around, it is best to keep them out unless you want them to make a bigger mess. It is also worth keeping them away from ornamental ponds if there is any soil around the edge as they will soon turn it to mud. They will however mop up undesirable insects and larvae (such as mosquito larvae), and clean water in ponds so that it is beneficial for fish (like duck weed that is so aptly named).
Chickens
Chickens are a different kettle of fish to the broad billed exterminators. They will scratch the ground and create dust baths indiscriminately so it is wise to allow them into specific areas of the garden but not onto the vegetable plot during the growing season. If you limit the number of chickens and the time they are allowed out, this can greatly help smaller areas recover a little from the constant scratching of the chickens. If you have a reasonable size area without too many flower beds then a few chickens could comfortably stay in the garden without causing too much damage. Chickens are not as efficient at exterminating garden pests but will do a pretty good job none the less and allowing them at least some free ranging will do wonders for their health and their eggs which in turn will help us, the consumers.
Last Updated on Sunday, 10 January 2010 12:49
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Common To All Poultry