How to Keep Chickens Out of Your Yard

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Plus, learn how to invite chickens to areas just for them

Co-authored by Elaine Heredia, BA Reviewed by Elmer Bensinger

Last Updated: February 27, 2026 Fact Checked

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Driving Them Away

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Keeping Them Out

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Inviting Them Elsewhere

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Video

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Q&A

If you've ever had free-range chickens wreak havoc on your yard or garden, you know how much damage they can inflict in a short period of time. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to discourage chickens from trampling, scratching, and pecking certain areas. Keep reading to learn how to drive chickens away, how to keep chickens out, and how to invite chickens to a garden or patch of lawn just for them.

What deters chickens?

Spraying hose water at them
Sprinkling dried herbs like catnip, chives, marjoram, and sage
Spreading out citrus peels
Planting fresh herbs like lavender, mint, lemon balm, and sweet woodruff
Wrapping plants in chicken wire
Laying down hardware cloth

Section 1 of 3:

Driving the Chickens Away

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1
Spray the chickens with water. When you see chickens wander into your garden, give them a quick spray with a standard garden hose. Keep the water pressure light so that it scares the chickens without hurting them.^{[1]
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- The chickens will usually return shortly after you spray them the first time, but if you do this consistently enough, they may eventually associate your yard with the water and start to avoid it.
- Since spraying them with a garden hose requires you to be present when the chickens invade your yard, you may not catch them all the time. For that reason, consider installing motion-activated water sprinklers to spray the chickens when you're not around.
2
Sprinkle dried herbs that chickens don't like around the area. Dust the ground in between plants with catnip, chives, marjoram, sage, or thyme, or a blend containing one or more of these options. Apply the spice to the perimeter of your garden, as well.^{[2]
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- Most chickens don't like the pungent smell of these strong spices, so they tend to avoid areas that reek of them.
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3
Scatter citrus peels. Gather old lemon peels, lime peels, or orange peels. Drop them around the perimeter of your garden and between separate plant beds. Chickens generally don't like the smell of citrus, and that smell might be enough to repel them. If a chicken does take a nibble of the fruit, though, it shouldn't hurt them.^{[3]
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- You can also try spraying the ground with lemon juice or lime juice. Use the juice instead of or in conjunction with the citrus peels.
- For the maximum effect, you can even cut lemons or limes and scatter the fruit halves over the area.
4
Plant fresh herbs that chickens don't like to eat or smell. Some plants are naturally unappealing to most chickens. If you plant these species in your garden, positioning them around and in between rows of other, more appealing plants, the odor of the unappealing plants might be enough to help ward off uninvited chickens.^{[4]
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- Many perennial herbs work well for this purpose. Some options worth considering include lavender, mint, lemon balm, marjoram, chamomile, and sweet woodruff.
- Established perennial herbs are also rooted firmly into the ground, making it difficult for chickens to scratch them out even if they do get curious.
- When possible, transplant established plants instead of using seedlings or seeds. Only established herbs are strong enough to withstand rummaging chickens. Younger forms might be too weak.
- Other plants that have been known to discourage chickens include many standard annuals, such as nasturtiums, impatiens, alyssum, petunias, and marigolds. In areas with little food, however, even these plants can fall victim to the occasional wandering chicken.

Section 2 of 3:

Keeping the Chickens Out

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1
Fence off the plants. The easiest way to prevent chickens from attacking a specific plant is to build a fence around it. A simple fence made with chicken wire and some form of support will usually be enough to keep the pests away.^{[5]
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- Install a tomato cage over the plant you need to protect. Alternatively, surround the plant with two to four stakes, then wrap chicken wire around it. The structure only needs to be 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) tall to keep most chickens out.
2
Cover the ground with hardware cloth. If you want to protect a broad area of mulch, recently sown seeds, or seedlings, spread hardware cloth over the entire patch of ground. Most chickens don't like the feeling of uneven wire beneath their feet, so they will tend to stay away.^{[6]
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- Cut a rectangle of hardware cloth large enough to cover the area you wish to protect. Cut a small square out of each corner and bend all four edges down at the newly cut corners, creating perpendicular "legs" for the wire mesh to stand on. Place the makeshift wire box directly over the area you want to protect. It should remain secure without additional help.
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Plant in containers. Most chickens won't bother with plants grown inside tall planters because of the extra effort they would need to exert to do so. It may not be practical to plant your entire garden in containers, but if there is a particular plant you feel especially protective of, container gardening might keep it a little safer.
- With notably aggressive chickens, you may need to take a few extra steps even with container gardens. Place the plants on a deck, porch, or other place that is completely out of reach for the chickens. Alternatively, surround the base of the newly sprouted container plant with stones or bricks as though it were planted in the ground.

Section 3 of 3:

Inviting the Chickens Somewhere Else

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1
Set aside bare patches of ground away from the garden. Chickens are attracted to bare patches of ground. If you keep the ground of your garden densely covered but have a separate area of bare ground within view, most chickens will leave the garden behind and gravitate toward the uncovered soil.^{[7]
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- Clear a square space roughly 1 yard (0.91 m) long and 1 yard (0.91 m) wide. Remove all plant life from that space, including weeds and grass, leaving only the bare soil behind.
- The chickens will gravitate toward this area. They may scratch and poke around for insects, and they'll often use this space for dust baths. If they have a space dedicated to these purposes, they may not be inclined to do these things elsewhere in your yard.
- It is also a good idea to sprinkle diatomaceous earth over this patch of ground every few months to keep chicken mites away.
2
Plant a separate garden for the chickens. If you're trying to repel your own chickens, you might want to consider planting two separate gardens: one for you and one for your chickens. Fill the chicken garden with plenty of appealing and healthy edible plants for your chickens to nibble on. Berry bushes, like elderberry and blueberry bushes, are usually good options.^{[8]
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- This trick works best when used in conjunction with other chicken-repelling techniques. Creating a separate chicken garden may not be enough to solve the problem if it is the only thing you do.
- Your chicken garden should include bushes and low-growing trees that can provide shelter for chickens to hide from the sun or potential predators.
- Include an evergreen shrub so that the chickens have cover in the winter, as well.

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Question

When putting spices in yard to keep chickens from my flower beds, will rain or watering make it go away?

Amy Harrison

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Yes, and it will eliminate the scent that discourages the chickens.

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How often do I need to put out the spices?

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I would recommend putting out the spices once a week. You may need to do it more often if you live in an area with frequent rain.

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How do I get rid of crows?

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A scarecrow, or mannequins may work. If it's a bird feeder issue, maybe use a smaller bird feeder for the birds you are feeding.

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