[georget]

Not sure wether to post this here or in hen house...Ive always used slug pellets in the vegetable garden but only under cover or under wire mesh,but now ive got hens for the first time and i allow them to free range when im in the garden.Im worried they will be able to get the pellets through the wire so does anyone have any ideas or any succesful organic way of controlling slugs.I would be very grateful if anyone had any magic methods as i do like to see them out of there run.Many thanks..George

[jondav14]

pretty sure the chickens will do a good job but they will also take the plants as well, otherwise try beer traps etc

[barley]

a big bucket - torch - and squidging gloves ewwwwww

or if you cant sqidge between fingers use hobnail boots as an alternative 

[AK9]

Have read that coffee grounds might be an option

[Trillium]

pretty sure the chickens will do a good job but they will also take the plants as well, otherwise try beer traps etc

They certainly do. Most growers won't let chickens wander the veg areas until the plants are a good size and able to fend off chicken attacks. One chap I watched on youtube had chickens that constantly ate his cherry toms so he had to keep the chooks in a run and he planted their own cherry tom plants along the fencing for shade. The chooks at all the toms plus most of the foliage.

If you can catch the slugs, you can deposit them in the chicken area and they'll happily put paid on the situation 

[georget]

Regarding the hens eating the slugs,I thought that slugs were responsible for passing on worms or am I thinking of something else will give the beer traps a go I think,just for a bit of fun half for me half for the slugs