Could it be MY fault for wanting them to do well?

Or a gravitational anomaly?

When I had a wire fence round my onions - 4 feet tall, mind you - a chicken or guinea would either fly over or dig under and wind up inside, smashing all the onions down trying to find the way out again.

So I took down the fence, on the theory that if they cant get trapped inside they cant hurt the onions.

It worked, the onions all grew tall and proud again.

Then I noticed lots of broken onions and started to watch the flock.

When they head down to the pig pen they walk a lovely straight line UNTIL they get within 10 feet of the onions. Then they veer off their straight line to go smashing through the onions only to veer back to their first line of march to get to the pigs.

This morning I looked behind me as I went to feed the pigs and though to myself, ah sod it!!! as over 25 birds came tramping behind me and then swerve off to go bang through the onions. And to add insult to injury, once they all got to the pig pen to discover (as always) that they couldnt reach the pigs food, they all turned round and ran though the onions again to get to the rest of the flock who were eating their OWN breakfast!

*sigh*

Just one of my crazy ideas . . . but what if instead of enclosing the onions in fencing, you put a straight line (or better still a V-shape) between the chicken path and the onions and between the pig pen and the onions. It might be enough to deflect the stampede.

The only other idea that occurs to me is to move the onion patch out of the line of fire.

MaggieJ":ijpw92tp said:

Just one of my crazy ideas . . . but what if instead of enclosing the onions in fencing, you put a straight line (or better still a V-shape) between the chicken path and the onions and between the pig pen and the onions. It might be enough to deflect the stampede.

The only other idea that occurs to me is to move the onion patch out of the line of fire.

Click to expand...

Chickens aren't terribly bright. A straight fence across their normal path to the onions could possibly work, but why are they targeting the onions?

They aren't eating them? Are the rubbing against them?

alforddm":5ar1tcxn said:

MaggieJ":5ar1tcxn said:

Just one of my crazy ideas . . . but what if instead of enclosing the onions in fencing, you put a straight line (or better still a V-shape) between the chicken path and the onions and between the pig pen and the onions. It might be enough to deflect the stampede.

The only other idea that occurs to me is to move the onion patch out of the line of fire.

Click to expand...

Chickens aren't terribly bright. A straight fence across their normal path to the onions could possibly work, but why are they targeting the onions?

They aren't eating them? Are the rubbing against them?

Click to expand...

Nope, not eating them, just smashing them. The Guineas started it but the chickens seem happy to continue the trend.

My NEXT onion patch will be way the heck away from ANYTHING that might attract the poultry but the soil was the best in that area so I thought they would do really well there. I was right, they are the best onions I have ever grown. Pity about the foot traffic though. :lol:

If they spent any time in the actual onions I would wonder if it were a parasite removal thing but no, they just run through them.

400 onions would have been really nice! :lol:

I'm sorry for your trouble, but I have got to say this is the most amusing RT post I have read in a while!

GBov":anv3qjup said:

When they head down to the pig pen they walk a lovely straight line UNTIL they get within 10 feet of the onions. Then they veer off their straight line to go smashing through the onions only to veer back to their first line of march to get to the pigs.

Click to expand...

:rotfl: Smashing through the onions- *Snort!!!*

I saw a post somewhere for keeping cats (or dogs) out of your gardens- they stuck plastic forks tines up in the dirt. Maybe if you angled the forks outward so they poke the birds as they approach your poor trampled onions it would keep them out?

Yeh, this morning I finally saw the humor in it when I looked round to see them all headed my way. :lol: Had Mum laughing about it when I was telling her so thought I would share.

The problem with where I am about to move the veg garden is that its high, dry and pure powder sand. Not my choice of perfect garden spots but its where my landlord wishes me to put it. For my next trick - seeing how great I am at protecting onions - lets see if I can get teh chickens to stop scratching all the rabbit manure into the next dimension so it can go into the new garden instead.

I suppose there is just no accounting for taste. I could see going out of their way to eat garlic, but onions? Blech.

The onions are slight cover and might hide insects so they feel safer and motivated to spread out. When they get back to normal grass they are condensing their line again because there is nothing to look at as they go.

Hubby says "build a full enclosure for them" Keep the critters off them completely.

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ladysown":1qpk5h3r said:

Hubby says "build a full enclosure for them" Keep the critters off them completely.

Click to expand...

Am giving that a try! Have used one hog panel, one length of 2x4 welded wire fencing, one very large cage and one window to go round the entire corner area. I recon if they cant get near the onions, and now the sugar cane planted in there as well, they cant do any damage.

AND I have started feeding the pigs in another section of their pen so as to not draw the poultry to that side.

Having sorted the onions, the goats are now wrecking my head. :evil: