Chickens tearing up my tomatoes

Mon Aug 16, 2010 12:01 pm

My neighbor's chickens are ripping apart all my tomatoes......not green ones mind you, just the fat juicy ripe ones! What can I do short of fencing in my garden?

I usually don't mind the free ranging chickens because they haven't bothered anything......until now! I like their presence in my yard but NOT my garden.

Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:26 pm

Actually, this is your neighbor's problem, not yours. You might tell him/her about the damage the chickens are doing, and you'd appreciate it if the "free-range" chickens would range in the neighbor's yard and garden. A temporary run can be quickly and inexpensively built to contain the chickens until tomato season is over.
If the neighbor doesn't cooperate, you'll just have to fence your garden. A short fence of 2-3' won't keep them out unless they are a very heavy bodied breed. Six feet ought to do it. Shame you don't have a dog.
I sympathize with your plight, and I have chickens! I'd never let them roam onto someone else's property. We are careful what fertilizers/pesticides we use, but everyone isn't and my girls could pick up something damaging.

Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:35 pm

Yeah, we've talked to him and he's apologetic and sympathetic, offering payment in the form his own ripe tomatoes. I do have dogs but I just can't let them go have a chicken dinner....I'd feel terrible!

The dang chickens peck holes in my bell peppers, tear up my tomatoes and scratch at my mulch.........(sighing) it's not like I don't have enough to worry about already!

Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:40 pm

Pick the tomatoes before they get ripe. They will ripen off of the plant after they start to develop color.

I can get inexpensive deer netting (7 ft high) at Tractor Supply. It is also sold as bird netting, just cut to a different size. Its not a big deal to surround a garden pach or even cover over smaller areas.

Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:36 pm

TZ -OH6 wrote:Pick the tomatoes before they get ripe. They will ripen off of the plant after they start to develop color.

I can get inexpensive deer netting (7 ft high) at Tractor Supply. It is also sold as bird netting, just cut to a different size. Its not a big deal to surround a garden pach or even cover over smaller areas.

I'll have to look into that netting. Today, I went out and picked several tomatoes that are ripening. I put them on my window sill in the kitchen, they will ripen in a few days I'm sure.