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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming]CHICKENS AND PEST CONTROL SOLUTION

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  • From: Windsoap AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming]CHICKENS AND PEST CONTROL SOLUTION
  • Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 20:13:32 EDT

In a message dated 4/18/2004 8:41:24 PM Pacific Daylight Time, cheselka AT freestateproject.org writes:

I have another friend who I was talking to just today that swore that if I
had chickens they'd eat everything in sight


As you all know, we swear by the "fowl patrol" and are virtually pest free at this point.  However, the little darlings do want to munch on emerging seeds and transplants.  I think we have solved the problem.  we've done two important things:
1) At critical time (germination and setting out plants) I pull lettuce stumps with bottom leaves from the hoophouse and toss out a veritable feast.
2)  We caged the tomato seedlings immediately with cages we had wrapped with 15 INCH PALLET WRAP!  Not only did we keep the tomato plants safe from nibbling, we also created wind block and our "risk crop" of tomatoes planted a month early came through the Easter frost with no damage whatsoever!  When the plants get going and are not so tempting, we will pull off the plastic wrap.  Pallet wrap is like super Glad wrap.  Sticks better and comes in all widths.  Available from several packing supply houses - Associated Bag and Rand are two good ones - cost about $12 for a big roll.  I think we've found a good one here - try it, it's working.

As for the hens and guineas eating everything in sight, well, there are only about 60 of them all together (plus 8 babies hatched today) and about 20 acres of veggies, so they can't possibly eat everything.  Adjust the number of birds to the area to be patrolled.  So, if my hens nibble a tomato or two, what harm?  My neighbors either cannot grow a garden or their produce is toxic with malathion.  I also toss the hard-working birds any deformed or damaged veggies so they are not starved for fresh food - same theory as giving them a feast of lettuce stumps. 
Pray for this danged wind to lay and some rain here in northeast Texas!
Wendy Akin
Akin Farm


  • Re: [Market-farming]CHICKENS AND PEST CONTROL SOLUTION, Windsoap, 04/19/2004

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