The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on January 01, 2012, 01:43:17 pm
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Nephew is looking to move this year to a house and garden and is very keen to have some hens for eggs. :thumbsup:
But, he is a very keen gardener (veges especially) and has heard that banties would do less damage to the plants... I said I would ask some experts I know for their input!
Are there any breeds or types that are better than others? Or will all laying creatures eat, scratch, pull up and dig up young plants?
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I would say most chickens are pretty much of a disaster in the garden. I have horrendous slug problems and use a flock of Minature Crested Ducks (http://www.crestedducks.co.uk) as slug control, I have to say they do an excellent job and so far don't seem to damage the garden much, though you can't trust them round lettuces. They lay reasonably well, but nothing like an egg laying type breed
I have heard Guinea Fowl are good and don't do any damage, and if you can find their eggs they can be reasonable layers.
Happy New Year
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banties would, I imagine, make the same damage just smaller!
We have all our birds penned, they are used to it and when the odd one does get out, she just has a little wander before letting me pick her up to go "home again"
maybe this would be the best solution?
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II have heard Guinea Fowl are good and don't do any damage, and if you can find their eggs they can be reasonable layers.
But you can't deny they are one of (if not THE) noisiest birds there is - maybe not ideal if he has neighbours he want's to stay friends with ;) ;D
I've got bantams & standard chooks (free ranging in our garden) and the wee ones do just as much damage :-\ Plan had been to move them to their fabulous new house (yeah, still nearly finished) in the field, but given Boris & his new found liking of poultry......... ::) They're safer in the garden, which they've trashed (helped by the kids and endless rain we've had this year)
It's probably worth looking at having them in a run most of the time and only have them out when he's there to keep an eye on them - at least until he sees how they get on (and the plan is he'll be so in awe of how good the eggs are that he'll forgive a bit of foraging) :thumbsup:
HTH
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I have heard Guinea Fowl are good and don't do any damage, and if you can find their eggs they can be reasonable layers.
Be careful with that one - our Peafowl didn't touch the garden all summer, but the moment the frosts came, and other food became scarce, they decimated our winter cabbages, most of our leeks, and any sprouts below beak level! Also, you'd be hard pushed to keep them in your own garden, so not a good choice if you have neighbours (and that's before considering the noise!).
I like the idea of miniature ducks though - our slug population has plummeted since we got our Indian Runners.
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I let my pekins in the veg patch once everything is full size, and they haven't done too much damage.
The feathered legs and feet make them less able to dig i think. :chook: :chook:
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Thanks folks. He had heard of a feathered-footed bantie being a good one, so that's the pekin then. Anyone else had any experience, good or bad, of them in gardens?
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I would definitely agree with the Pekins.
I'd always kept large fowl till recently, which couldn't walk past a flower border without spreading the soil and plants to at least six foot away.
But 2 years ago I was given a trio of Pekins and they are the most delightful of birds, both for a beginner and a gardener. They are tame and placid, don't wander far, seem little inclined to scratch and dig, and if they do taste the odd plant, it's so half hearted you wouldn't notice.
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I used to look after a trio of black Pekin bantams for a lady in Troutbeck. She used to open her garden for the NGS and was quite particular about it. Her Pekins had free range and the damage was minimal. Being a little bit ;)biased about Peke peke pekins I can thoroughly recommend them. Just got 8 new ones today ;D
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If he does decide he wants some, If you or he has and incubator, or if you have an broody hen when the time is right, I will gladly post you (or anyone who wants some) some hatching eggs ;)
mine are either pure pekin or pekin x pekin x sablepoot from the prettiest buff lavender cockerel :love: :love: the results are as near to rainbow colours as is possible! I've had all sorts of colours from them :chook: :chook:
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I'm on a quest for Lavender hens atm. Seem to be hard to find. Got two Lavender Cockerels, one going spare if anyone wants him.
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When I see her next I can ask the lady I got Ichabod from if you like?
They are actually buff lavenders though (I was too lazy to type the extra word in the last post!:D)
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I will googlea buff lavender to see what it looks like ;) The ones I really want are some Columbian marked ones, not easy to find. I'd love to breed them.
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If he does decide he wants some, If you or he has and incubator, or if you have an broody hen when the time is right, I will gladly post you (or anyone who wants some) some hatching eggs ;)
mine are either pure pekin or pekin x pekin x sablepoot from the prettiest buff lavender cockerel :love: :love: the results are as near to rainbow colours as is possible! I've had all sorts of colours from them :chook: :chook:
Thanks for the offer colliewoman. We get broodies alright - but we also seem to be a hotel for hedgehogs, who book in for rooms with eggs and baby chickens for breakfast... But if we're better set up when the time comes, I may take you up on that. :thumbsup: They sound gorgeous.
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I will googlea buff lavender to see what it looks like ;) The ones I really want are some Columbian marked ones, not easy to find. I'd love to breed them.
My lot throw colombian!!!
I let you know when we start hatching ;D
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Oooh now my ears have really pricked up! Let me know :thumbsup:
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Hi Sally,
I have kept a range of bantams in my gardens as you will see and have managed to keep both hens and garden in great shape . If you are looking to keep damage to a minimum then bantams will be best.
l breed rare Croad Langshans bantams which have feathered feet. They all enjoy sctratting but do not damage lawns. they will scrat soil and mulch or piles of fallen leaves and new shoots or seedlings can be vunerable to damage. once plants or veg is established however they can wander in the veg patch and remove unwanted pests without harming your produce. :)
Fruit canes will need protection though as despite being smaller, the bantams will hop and flap high enough to eat the fruit :-\
Buffy