Can anyone help me with a chicken question?

[Abacus]

Sorry not horsy...

So, I have a steep bank at the end of the garden which is overgrown with a load of brambles and other weeds. It's quite long (prob about 30 foot) and fairly steep. I have been trying to find a way to clear the weeds so that I can just plant grass on it, but it's impossible - the last 3 years I have dug it all over, put down seed, but the weeds come back and frankly I don't have the time to keep on weeding away at it.

Someone told me that I should fence a few chickens on it and gradually they will clear it, while at the same time providing some eggies... First is this true, that they will clear the weeds (some of them pretty tough ones like the brambles) and secondly, how to I fence them on a steep slope like this? Obv I know little about chickens right now so would need to learn how to keep them, but is this worth pursuing?

If not, does anyone have a handy mountain goat I can borrow?!!

THanks!
xx

 

[wench]

Couple of pigs would probably do a better job! Chickens will scratch around alright, but if theres big nettles/brambles etc in there, they wont get rid of them!

 

[Ranyhyn]

Yeah i can't see chooks taking on significant brambles/weeds. Smaller ones yes. Maybe someone has succeeded with that and will be along to set me right.

My chickens are blooming spoilt and hate it when the grass isn't mown in their paddock one thing I will say is, get some chickens, I love mine to bits and their eggs, well. Best thing ever.

 

[Abacus]

Thanks - that was what I thought - can't imagine all the weeds are appetising, although I'm sure they would love the blackberries.

I wondered about pigs but the trouble is I don't want to keep them
long-term after the job is done, whereas I'm happy to give a home to some chickens. Maybe I need a really BIG TOUGH greedy chicken.

 

[Archangel]

I have a huge area of brambles in an overgrown farmyard (abandoned for 20 years) and was advised to nuke them with SPK weedkiller. Apparently this is the only way to get rid of them for good.

I didn't actually do it as noticed a glow worm one evening so now hand pulling them

Pigs are the best, they are such fun too. You may be able to borrow some for a short while

 

[3Beasties]

Could you clear the area by hand again and then keep chickens on the patch to stop the weeds from coming back?

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Probably best to clear by hand or strim it to start with, then put chookies there and let them scratch.

Ehm, silly question, but if its steep you'll need to somehow arrange a house for them to go in at night, plus (obvious) put up some kind of fence - leccy or whatever - against Mr Fox.

 

[wench]

I am sure someone locally to you will have a pig they can lend you... how about some of those pygmy things.

Perhaps a local rescue centre has some?

 

[paddi22]

goats would probably do the job as well?

 

[Rhandir]

as are shetland sheep