[Ben_H]

if I lay this around fruit bushes and cover with woodchip will the chickens dig through it? Do I need to put some sort of chicken wire over the mypex and under the woodchip?

[Casey76]

Yes, the chickens will scratch through just about anything.

Also, expect your fruit bushed to be denuded up to the height a chicken can jump (about 2.5 feet) both of leaves and fruit!

[Ben_H]

Yep, expecting some of the stuff to go. However, I'm hoping that if I can alternate which areas I let the chickens roam in the gooseberry and raspberry plants will get to enough of a height that the chickens won't reach the upper fruit/leaves.

Any suggestions for protecting the mypex or should I just not bother and trust the chickens to keep down the nettles etc that are growing through from my neighbours garden?

[Casey76]

Well my girls tend not to eat nettles at all!

You could put some chicken wire down over the top of the weed suppressor.  Use tarp staples in the corners, and it will stay down really well.

[joyfull]

sorry but please remember chickens can fly - so if they know there are tasty berries higher up they will simply hop on up to the top to get them. Mine can often be found over six feet up in the cherry trees munching away