Anyone put shrubs IN the run?

[serendipityfarm]

Hi all! I noticed today while out free ranging, my Silkie was using one of the nearby shrubs to "escape" her unwanted suitor or the mean girls that wanted to pick on her. It gave me the idea that maybe they should have some sort of shrub in the run for the same purpose.
Anybody else plant shrubs in the run? Will they destroy or eat them? And if they eat them, what shrubs are safe for them to "graze" on???

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've planted wysteria, forcythia, mulberry and thorny blackberries. They at them all. Root and all!!

 

[Junkmanme]

My chickens EAT any shrub within reach. The even eat the lower leaves off the Chinese Elm trees. I doubt that any shrub would survive long INSIDE a chicken run (except perhaps a run of several acres).

just my 2 pesos worth,
Junkmanme

P.S. YES, I do feed my chickens.....too much, probably.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I have a pigeon/quail pen attatched to the barn & have spearmint planted in it to repel the rodents. The quail peck on it once in a while, but basically leave it alone.

 

[serendipityfarm]

Anyone know of any cmmon shrubs that are dangerous for chickens?
What about azaleas, holly, rhododendrons???

 

[tedabug]

I don't have a close up of them, but there are shrubs lining one side of my run. The birds lay under them to get out of the sun, but don't eat them at all. Here is the best pic I have of them. (Ignore the grass seed in the circle, which they will eat!)

 

[chickfamilyonsleepyhollow]

Here's a link for toxic plants (including shrubs) that I found helpful ... http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxicplants.html#P

 

[AinaWGSD]

I would think that any young shrubs would be gonners in a chicken run. But if you can get them established, and your birds have enough room and enough free range time, that some of the larger shrubs would probably be ok as I imagine that once they got big enough the chickens wouldn't be interested in eating them as much as laying under them. This is a good time of year to get many kinds of plants for cheap as garden centers try to clear their stock, if you can afford it maybe pick up a few and plant them in the run with some chicken wire around them to protect them and let them get established for a couple of seasons.

 

[maizey]

I was thinking of transfering a couple of my established rosemary bushes to the exterior of my run, but planting some inside might be a good idea too...not 100% sure they wont be eaten, however if they do it wont hurt them..in fact, if i can get them to eat some sage and thyme too they would be self seasoned from the inside out

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Hmmmm.......herbs in the quail pen.

You may be on to something!