Chicken-Friendly Plants You Can Grow Near Your Chicken Coop

A very nice list with helpful tips. My chickens have not cared for either comfrey or borage, I think because of their furriness. But maybe other hens like those. Mine have loved dandelions and all sorts of leafy greens. They are looking out each day to see if there is anything worth eating. A very timely article to highlight. thank you!

BDutch's comment about grass is very good, and I know chickens also love "weeds" such a chickweed. There are other articles listing more different plants in addition to this one, so check them out!

Nice list but I definitely miss ordinary grass in the list.

And imho its nonsense that you have to avoid poisonous plants around a chicken coop or chicken run, or if your chickens have unrestricted access to your entire property's plants. The chickens know what they can eat and what to leave alone. And they don’t eat onions either.

Nice informative article.

Wonderful, informative read. Making me rethink some of my gardening plans for spring!

I will definitely be bookmarking this article to refer back to. Thank you for the information.

Lots of good information! I love how it’s laid out in a list format. Thank you for this! What’s funny is I was actually just considering this exact question last week and then this pops up on my homepage

What a well-written and researched article! A great book is Eat the Weeds. I grow Dandelions to dry and sprinkle on meals but the chickens won't have anything much to do with them; maybe a tip prune here or there. Cherry tomatoes grow wild around the yard but they never pick them from the vine, they always wait for me to start throwing them around. Spoiled!

Good information for good health. I find that they will eat some things with vigor and go back to those when there is nothing else. Thank you for the information. Very helpful for a healthy flock

From my experience: If you have any plants in your garden that will last over the years, like strawberries, they will trash the beds. They are like little rototillers. If you only plant annuals, you can let them in after you are finished harvesting.
Also, I don't understand why they shouldn't have avocados or tomatoes. Mine love them. They avoid the onions and garlic, but will trash any vines, before the fruit is ready to pick.
And, if they can get into your compost pile, they will spread it all over, eating any and all bugs, worms, and larvae.
And then, if they can get onto your porch or patio, they will save up and poop all over it...

This is uber helpful for a newbie like me. I definitely want to incorporate this (isn't it simply permaculture?) into our homesteading efforts.


I need to print this out and have it in my chickening notes. As simple as this is I am needing to read and reread because I get stuck at how to start this all out. I get confusted with the have the chickens IN the garden; don't have them in it. Use them to till and the "chickens will destroy your garden" rhetoric. I'm going to get it though because I read the ring of truth in it.

Great information. I have 2 chicken runs and alternate every year or so. I was hoping to see thistle on the good plant side as they produce so many seeds

Well organized, well written summary of information on beneficial and harmful plants for chickens.

Great article! Good list of safe and not so safe plants to grow near chickens.

Excellent article! Concise yet thorough

Great article! Lots of handy information on the best plants for your chickies.