Backyard bug problem? Send in the hens to do the dirty work

It's a common fixation for backyard gardeners in Calgary: how to beat what's eating their harvest.

The appearance of critters like slugs, aphids and cabbage moths typically means gardeners have to decide whether to leave them be or attempt some sort of pest control.

Well, there's a new-but-old-schoolmethod of ridding a garden of invaders this year: hungry hens.

• Watch these hens in action in the video at the top of the story.

A southern Alberta company called Hooligan Hens brings chickens to your garden for a couple of hours at a time. The chickensget to workchowing down on critters in their path.

"If you had chickens running free range all day, it would be really hard on the grass. The poop that they produce is very, very rich and could burn a garden. But if they are only there for a little bit, it's perfect fertilizer," said Muriel Pagart, owner of Hooligan Hens.

"You don't get flies or other animals coming to look for chickens that you would get on a farm so you get pretty much all of the benefits and none of the detriment."

During the height of public health restrictions due to COVID-19,Pagart, who lives outside the city limits, purchased a couple of day-old hens as a backyard project for her kids.

An avid gardener, she noticedthat during a year that is particularly bad for slugs, her garden was thriving.

Thus, Hooligan Hens was born, an eco-friendly garden pest control business.

Pagartsays she has a following of regular customers.

"[It] definitely works we watched them eat hundreds of slugs while they were here," saidCaroline Sweet, a repeat customer.

"But we also find them just very soothing to be around."

The first visit by the birds costs $35. After that, it's$25 to host the hungry hens.

Typically, a visit will run about an hour and a half, to get the best effect.

"After about two hours, they really like just get mellow and they'll go nest in a corner and get lazy," saidPagart.

In Calgary, residents can't keep livestock in the city except as emotional support animals.

Pagart gets around the bylaw by bringing the chickens for a visit and a nibble, but the birds never remain overnight on a client's property.

With files from Elissa Carpenter, Danielle Nerman and the Calgary Eyeopener.