Kitchen Garden Forum

:?: As a newcomer to keeping chickens I was thinking about allowing them to roam amoungst my blackcurrant bushes. Is this a sensible idea?

Only if you don't like blackcurrants Most, albeit not all, of my chickens have operated a "pick your own" system when loose in the blackcurrants.

... probably september to february they wont do much harm ... over the winter they will pick up insects and not harm the bushes too much, as soon as the buds start to form .. anytime now.. they will defoliate the bushes to some degree , how badly rather depends on how many chickens in how big a space and is there anything else more interesting available to them.

Many thanks for reply...I was rather hoping that the chickens(who arrive next week) would not do too much damage to my blackcurrants. I think it better if I site my run on another part of the garden!
Just come in from the garden after a session of hanging-on for dear life, to my rotavator. soil.... nice and dry...rare for West Wales!
Regards Colin Lamb Swansea.