Plants for chicken run?

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CrunchyNana said:
I'm curious about the wire topped boxes - walking on them doesn't hurt their feet or cause bumblefoot after a period of time?
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Only if they were to walk on it constantly. Most will decided it's uncomfortable on their feet and stay off it. I like to do several small "plots" so they can access it from all sides without walking on it.

As far as other plantings go, here is a list of chicken safe plants. It even lists the zones for most of them.https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/safe-plants
 
thx - the smaller plots sound like an excellent idea! :)

MEMama3 said:
Only if they were to walk on it constantly. Most will decided it's uncomfortable on their feet and stay off it. I like to do several small "plots" so they can access it from all sides without walking on it.

As far as other plantings go, here is a list of chicken safe plants. It even lists the zones for most of them.https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/safe-plants
Click to expand...
 
something to think about: try planting edibles that help the chickens with parasites. spearmint, wormwood, citronella plants. You can also plant blackberries on the outside of the run which will climb and give shade and give the birds fresh berries. I would try to find the thorn-less type. Climbing vegetable plants like green beans or asparagus beens also will provide shade, climb and will give you and the chickens vegetables if you plant them on the outside of the run or coupe. My Rhode Island Reds keep the bugs out of my garden and sometimes will share the green beans and tomatoes but as long as the plants are established won't tear up the plants. (except my Rooster that is a feathered rototiller whom is not allowed in the garden except before planting time).

They will stand on them and pick at them, sometimes eat them all so you might be lucky and get large plants. otherwise buy double, plant the seconds in buckets outside of the fence to grow large then bring those inside so the plants can drape over the bucket side but the chickens won't be able to tear them up. it will give them more growing time and if the winter is sever there and they tend to stay indoors you can put the plants indoors as well to keep them from dying off but the chickens can have access to them in the coop. Good luck.
 
Here are a few bushes/trees that are ideal for shelter:
  • Currants, blueberries, raspberries and feijoas.
  • Hebes
  • Orchard Trees (Apple, plums ect.)
  • Conifers or pine trees
  • Hazelnuts
  • Bamboo (using clumping forms)
  • Tagasaste/Tree lucerne
  • Hawthorn and barberry

Edibles you can grow for your poultry:
  • Kale/silverbeet/spinach
  • Chicory
  • Comfrey
  • Lemon Balm
  • Wheat sprouts
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Clover
  • Lots of herbs

Some toxic plants:
  • Avocado
  • Box
  • Sorrel, fathen, oxalis
  • Kowhai
  • lily of the valley, oleander
  • Black nightshade, green poatatoes
  • rhubarb
  • Parsnip, parsley, and celery
 
I planted an apple tree next to my run and put a peach tree on the other side of my yard last year hoping the provide some sweet treats for them next year and some shade it gets hit here in Texas
 
Sunflowers took over my run last year. I had cut flowers in the house all the time. It was great and pretty. Plenty of places hide and pretty flowers.
 
Plant what ever seeds you want. Put a small wire mesh box over the area, about 4 6" high. The chickens will eat anything coming through the mess, but they want be able to destroy the plants.
 
Thanks all for the great ideas for inside and outside the run. Will definitely do the "grazing frames" next spring along with plantings around the fence. Perhaps a rose bush or two inside the run (protected until established) and rosemary.
 
ruth said:
Thanks LC - I hadn't thought about daylillies. I literally have thousands of them around the place and most need to be thinned out and transplanted. I had run out of places to move them. Glad to hear they like the leaves and that the leaves or flowers aren't toxic. That's my main concern and reason for the post. I know about most plants but know NOTHING about which ones chickens eat or don't eat and which ones could make them sick or worse.

I also liked dreamgirl's suggestion of wild roses. I have one that takes over the trellis on my side deck. Started out from a clipping I took from the woods and now I call it my "Feed me Seymore" plant. You can cut that sucker down to nothing and two days later it has a million 20' long arms with 4" thorns reaching out in all directions so no one can get past it. Think I will move part of it to sunny part at back of run. That's where all the deer and other wildlife come and go from the woods and the "killer" rose bush would keep anything from climbing up or going through the fence there.

I also liked Dawn419 & Sandrachick's suggestions of container gardens. I think I will try that too.

Thanks to all for suggestions - they give me some ideas. I guess everyone else is used to seeing bare chicken runs but to me it looks so lonely and bare. Thought I would make them their own "free range" right inside the run by planting things that not only provided protection and shade but also provided food source.

Great forum and lots of wonderful people with great, helpful ideas on all topics. Yesterday I posted a chicken "poem" or American Express commercial that came to mind about how "crazy" I seem to be getting about these chickens. It's meant about me and references trips to the therapist because of chickens (though I don't really have a therapist but most of my family now thinks I probably need one since my chicken "obsession" seems crazy to them.) Anyway, this is just another example of how fond I've become of my chicks. I'll probably spend a fortune before it's over decorating and landscaping their home.
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I have a cat as a mouser. I saw a post recently that lilies, specifically day lilies, are extremely toxic to cats. Even just the pollen, in other words batting and playing without munching can be fatal for a cat. Day lilies are safe for chickens.

There are great posts about what flowers chickens can eat. I grow amaranth, I have it growing as a weed in my yard and the birds love it. I buy the mature grain from the feed mill, called milo.

Good for chickens: Daisies, Coreopsis, Bee Balm, Begonia, Black Eyed Susan, Calendula, Dandelion, Echinacea, Impatient, Marigold, Nasturtium, Orchid, Petunia, Sunflower, Thistle, Velvet Nettle, Violet, Zinnia. Day Lilies are also safe for chickens but not for cats.

I am beginning milk jug sowing the perennials so I can start from seed instead of buying plants. Once it's no longer freezing, I can plant the tender annuals like zinnias and sunflowers.

You can also grow a vegetable garden for yourself and give the chickens the scraps and extras. I do organic gardening and my chickens get lots of greens with bug holes, I eat the more perfect leaves.
 

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