Challenging plant problem! Ideas needed!

[shortgrass]

But peppermint tastes better!  Sweet woodruff (not sure about zone 3) is also nice.  There are some cute dwarf iris too, and Siberian iris is tough.  Mary

Oh yes! Mint! They don't really eat it, and its super hardy...especially nice that they are seeming to help keep it contained and well aerated

In my little head, I also think herbs like mint, rosemary, sage, etc...help deter pests in summer; we had a horrible gnat infestation this year, and I was dousing everyone with vanilla in the coop, but the free rangers didn't seem bothered by them... They were always dust bathing in the herb bed. Since the bugs are gone, they have stopped... Got me thinking to never underestimate the power of a smelly herb

 

[enola]

So chickens don't like hosts? Great. I am going to buy more. I like pachysandra as a ground cover. It will fill in eventually and keeps out weeds. Then you could fill in with other plants. Don't know if chickens would eat it or if it is safe.

There are several people on this site that claim their chickens are all their hostas.......

 

[enola]

Chives aren't exactly chicken resistant. Mine love to eat chives and it gives the eggs a mild onion flavor. Great for omlettes and savory dishes, but not so good for baking.

Yep, X2 on the chives!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Mine have eaten the mint and the hostas. What they did not eat they dug up. If you want plants there perhaps using large pots would be a better option. You can plant things in the pots for you and in the ground for them.
I am zone 5 here so I am lucky enough to be able to grow a wider variety. Perhaps things like lettuce in the pots for you and spinach, radish and kale in the ground for them.
You could make it an edible small garden for the hens. Cabbage needs more sun and would be snacked on to much to do well.

I know you are looking at perennials but there are other simple options that do not take much work to have.

 

[aart]

I'm tellin' ya...you're gonna need a fence, with 'spikes' on the top and buried 6" into the ground.

I can't believe the holes these creatures can dig.

 

[TalkALittle]

Vinca minor is a pretty tough ground cover.

But it is toxic.

 

[beginnergirl]

There are several people on this site that claim their chickens are all their hostas.......

So far mine are not destroying my hosta. Is there anything safe I can spray on it to deter them?

 

[Outpost JWB]

Whatever you plant will need to get established before you let the chickens run around it. I have mint by the house, but if those girls see a chance to dust bathe, there's a new hole created in the mint garden. I would also avoid potted plants. That is like some kind of playground equipment for my hens. They will rip out whatever is in the planter & dig out all the dirt and dust bathe

Mint is a great idea because if it grows out where you don't want it, you can just mow that part down. It will also help with the coop smell

 

[shortgrass]

Whatever you plant will need to get established before you let the chickens run around it.  I have mint by the house, but if those girls see a chance to dust bathe, there's a new hole created in the mint garden.  I would also avoid potted plants.  That is like some kind of playground equipment for my hens.  They will rip out whatever is in the planter & dig out all the dirt and dust bathe

Mint is a great idea because if it grows out where you don't want it, you can just mow that part down.  It will also help with the coop smell

X2

Let plants get established first, especially seedlings; it seems to me, no matter what the plantb will be when its mature, seedlings almost ALWAYS get eaten

So far mine are not destroying my hosta. Is there anything safe I can spray on it to deter them?

None that I know if to deter chickens... But I got an idea from the gardening section of using screen over seedlings next year, so maybe bird netting would be an option?

 

[beginnergirl]

Many great ideas. Am going to try making a pretty fence with bamboo and flimsy wire or twine they can't land on. Right now they have not hopped over a 2' high dog X pen that is protecting my vegetable garden. It's all a process!

Will be planting a chicken garden just for them.

Thanks all. Love this forum.