Putting My Chooks to Work?

[Shortie]

I am wondering if I'm being a tad 'romantic' with this notion but ......

I now have a kitchen garden. Before I've either had an attempt at a kitchen garden but no chooks, or chooks and a landscaped garden. I now have both established in my garden

So, when I need to clear a bed of weeds (I have inherited some that are ramping up weeds at the mo..!) can I put up a temporary fencing around the patch and pop the girls in to have a munch on the weeds? Yep, I can do this by hand but I suddenly thought it might be a way for them to get more green stuff in a natural way (ie not just me stood there holding a bunch of spring greens or chard, etc) and they will get whatever grubs and slugs are around to boot, as well as paying me extra rent (other than the eggs) by clearing the ground for me?

But, are there any definate no-nos in terms of weeds they shouldn't eat? If they can eat it, they're more than welcome the bind weed! Clearly they won't dig and turn the soil for me, lol, but they could get the foliage off for me while getting a more natural diet than just chicken pellets and the odd handful of dried worms, corn and fruit/veg?

And am I potty to think about popping them into the polytunnel to do their work? Would they wreck the cover do you think?

Or am I best really to just get on with it as per normal with a hoe and fork?

[Shortie]

Actually... this does lead me to wonder what would happen if a 'bad' weed crept in from next door so maybe I'm pondering unduly..? But, I's be interested to know if anyone else puts their girls to work or if it's a bananas, impractical idea!

[roitelet]

I did just that a couple of years ago and it worked fine. They were on the patch all winter and as I dug it up a bit for them when it got soggy the resulting soil was superb. There were virtualy no weeds and I planted spuds in the ground afterwards. The only thing I noticed was a bit of scab on the potatoes probably due to a bit too much nitrogen but nothing to worry about. Yes, make them earn their keep!!!! I didn't weed before I put them on the ground, I think that they know what is good for them and what is not.

[Shortie]

Oh excellent, thanks Roitelet! I also wondered about popping them back when the soil was dug so they could get more grubs in their diet naturally. My girls are used to being handled so hopefully they won't object to a brief change of scenery!

[roitelet]

Prior to the ground clearing I used to put them on the veg beds in the winter in rotation. They didn't seem to mind at all and it gave them some fresh ground to scratch in. I had a movable house at the time so they stayed there for several months.

[Glutton4...]

I've done it too. The only problem I had was when I removed them. Despite each havig one clipped wing, they still managed to get over the fences, and get back in the veg garden, in preference to 'their' grass! I even let them live in the greenhouse for the coldest months of the winter. They did a fab job, and boy do they give off some heat!?

[Shortie]

I've done it too. The only problem I had was when I removed them. Despite each havig one clipped wing, they still managed to get over the fences, and get back in the veg garden, in preference to 'their' grass! I even let them live in the greenhouse for the coldest months of the winter. They did a fab job, and boy do they give off some heat!?

Mine haven't had their wings clipped as they haven't tried to escape in the 6 month's I've had them (well... except one bird who sometimes gets over excited when I bring them fresh greens and she tries to get on the fence for first pickings, the greedy whatnot!)

I take it you didn't have any plant life in the greenhouse when the chooks were in there? (Or at least, you didn't have when they had finished with it!)

[BertieFox]

Chickens can do a good job clearing weed infested land if a lot are penned into a small area: see the 'Chicken Tractor' concept and book (mostly fantasy in my view). The girls certainly won't eat anything that will harm them but they will spend as much time eating all the good worms you need in the soil and beneficial insects as well as the weeds.
I prepared all our deep beds for winter with lots of lovely mulch and along came the chooks and spread the mulch everywhere, mainly on the paths between the beds. I've kept them in the polytunnel as some bright spark had the idea they would give off enough heat to keep it frost free, but they just made a huge mess and left the worst weeds which need to be dug out anyway.
Letting them roam on your veg beds is good for THEM and the yolks will be nice and orange, but NOT good for you!