Chicken ranging

We have four chickens that get let out occasionally and the problem I have is they tend to kick up a lot of the stones from the borders they go in no matter how much I tut and kick some remain when I mow and can trample less robust plants flat. Much as I imagine elephants do.

Can anyone recommend either some sturdy border plants that can hold their own when it comes to chickens nosing for grubs (I should say the chickens don't eat the plants), and as a bonus a good way to keep the border soil/stones in the border? I have half a mind to

a - try a long low hedge to run the length of the border they bother with, but those look pricey
b - I imagine plants that die off in winter and grow back in spring are off the menu too (bit worried about the new daff bulbs I planted in a moment of rash madness under the apple tree won't cope with their rummaging)

Thanks chaps (quite like the chickens apart from that!)

 

Hi Benzombie and Welcome to GC

you could try pinning down some chicken wire on top of the soil approx 6 to 10 inches in depth from the edge of the lawn on the border...that stops them...and on particular borders where they try to murder plants i've resorted to 3ft green plastic coated fencing to keep them off it...

 

Good morning Benzombie,
to Gardeners Corner. Hope you are enjoying wandering around our garden,
Jenny namaste

 

Thanks ladies, food for thought. We have a faux wooden white picket fence around the little ones veg bed (pure class) and I'd never really thought about how anti chicken that's proven. Maybe there's a compromise between form and function?

 

Compromise is most definitely the answer!