Chicken Squash Trellis

[darkmatter]

I plant tomatoes and squash in cages which grow up into a trellis providing food and shade for the chickens.

 

[Love my Critters!]

That is great! How did you get the plants to stay growing up? I would love to do that for the shade.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Great idea. I'll have to try it next year.

 

[suki'smom]

That's really neat! I was thinking of planting peas and sunflowers along the fence in my run next year.

 

[Horizon Structures]

I Absolutely Love It!!!!
Jenifer

 

[Arookar]

I planted sunflowers and beans along the fence of my run, but your idea is wonderful! I think I will try something like that next year- I could grow it right inside the run if it was in cages....what a great idea!

 

[lindseythefork]

Love my Critters! :

That is great! How did you get the plants to stay growing up? I would love to do that for the shade.

I'm not the OP, but I think what you would do is create the base of the trellis/shade out of wire, then train the vines to go up instead of along the ground. The plants take care of the rest.

My question is: how do you keep the chickens from eating everything??​

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I'm not the OP, but I think what you would do is create the base of the trellis/shade out of wire, then train the vines to go up instead of along the ground. The plants take care of the rest.

My question is: how do you keep the chickens from eating everything??

This trellis is a three tire set up. I cut the sidewall out of one side of my old truck tires, place the cutout side down, fill with compost. I make a cage out of concrete remesh that fits the diameter of the tire, remesh also connects the tops of the cylinders to make the trellis. After I reach in thru the 6" remesh to plant my stuff, I wrap the wire cylinder with a finer mesh to keep the chickens out. The vines and tomatoes don't need trained up the cage. The vines grow up and spread out over the trellis without help. The chickens "prune" anything that sticks out of the cage or hangs down off the trellis far enough. If you look at the picture you can see some squash hanging down from the trellis grid. I'm getting more squash out of the chicken run setup then I do out of my garden plantings. I've never seen bugs make it pass the chicken patrol to bother the squash vines in the Run.

 

[JodyJo]

Great idea...I was going to plant sunflowers for the girls next summer...I may do this as well! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[csummer8882]

What a fantastic idea! We have wild grape vines all over our property.....everywhere I don't want it! Now for next year, a few are going to get moved over near the run! It will be great shade AND the girls love eating their leaves! Thank you for the idea!