Plants for chicken run?

[rufus]

OK, what we used to do was have the chicken yard divided up into three or four pastures. The coop was in the center, and a gate opened into each of the pastures. We would rotate them from pasture to pasture. In about a week, they would have a pasture picked bare. Then we would open up an other pasture and lock off the used one. Three or four weeks rest would give the grass time to regenerate.

Rufus

 

[feldon]

If you're looking for shade, plant Jeruselem artichokes along the fence line of the coop. Chickens LOVE it, it's non-toxic and grows really fast. It is similar to a sunflower with yellow flowers.
feldon

 

[rrrsmom]

I put in a bed of wheatgrass and about 2 inches above the soil is a top to my planter box. It's about 4'x2' and the top has a wooden frame and 1/2 welded wire. Now about every 2 weeks I reseed the wheat grass right through the welded wire. I water through the welded wire too. As the grass grows the chickens eat what they can get to. They always have a fresh supply of wheat grass but they can't eat me out of house and home. They have to eat other stuff too. My girls love it. I love it cuz it's easy, grows fast, is healthy (good source of calcium) and everyone is happy.
I also have a grape vine growing in a big pot with chicken wire around it so the chickens can't eat the vine. I'm hoping that some day it will grow up, provide shade, attract bugs, provide grapes and be an all around good neighbor to my girls. I have a blackberry in there too but it's not doing as well as the grapes.

 

[SandraChick]

WEll I'll BE!


You'd think using the welded wire over the wheat grass woulb be a no-brainer --I wish I'd though of it long ago!!

Thanks for the tip.

Sandra

 

[psimek]

What great ideas! I've read of two others but haven't tried them-
I heard that kale will live throughout the winter outside and that it is good for chickens.
I also read that the herb mugwort, planted around the run will keep lice out.
My chickens like to sit under sunflower plants when it is warm out. They eat some of the leaves, but not all of it.

 

[Sharona]

This site has a seed mixture of "chicken treat" greens to plant in the run.

http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/catalog/specialty.html

 

[mom'sfolly]

My chickens won't eat strongly flavored plants if there are other greens around. This means they leave the autumn sage, lemon balm and rosemary pretty much alone. Their favorite resting place is under a large climbing rose in the backyard. Recently I've enlarged the run (my girls mostly freerange) and when I was putting down new dirt I stomped bird seed into it. The girls ate alot, but what they haven't is already sprouting. I figured they could eat is as seed, plant, and whatever seeds the plants produce. I don't know how it will work, but is was cheap and I knew that the bird seed was safe to feed, which I don't know about regular grass seed. I just bought a cheap bird feed with lots of millet in it. I have about 300 sq ft of run for 4 pullets, so they have alot of area, and are generally not confined anyway. It will probably take them a while to tear it all up.

 

[dreamgirl]

Watch out for mugwort, it is very invasive.

 

[DonkeysandDucks]

Hi, Ruth,
Welcome to BYC and chickens, and am also from Louisiana where if it isn't raining it's time to mow the grass. I'm new to this, too, and I loved the AmEx commercial thought! Too funny...and too true!

A friend recently told me about a chicken run that had a Lady Banks rose planted right in the middle. Since then, I've noticed that my girls, who free range during the day, spend much of the hottest part of the day underneath it. I'm thinking I may plant another one on the west side of my next run.

Good luck!
Cindy

 

[Ginevive]

I know that rhododendrons are poisonous to horses and goats.. I would probably avoid those. Someone correct me please if they are not poisonous to chix!