Best plant to shade run

[jgessentials]

Hello chicken lovers,
Thank you for this great resource!

I have a run which is a dog run reinforced with chicken wire, perfect for a climbing plant. I was wondering what plant/herb you would recommend planting that could climb up the fencing and provide shade to the run as well as be a tasty treat for my girls.

I was thinking of raspberries but that might attracts too many other birds.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions, I am in Southern California zone 9 and the run gets pretty good sun exposure mostly in the afternoon.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Grapes maybe? Several types and no thorns.

I love that you're thinking edible and not just ornamental.

I have LOADS of blackberries, salmon berries, thimble berries, strawberries and who knows what else... and attracting extra wild birds hasn't really become a problem so far.

ETA: they might like cucumber type stuff as well.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Bougainvillea? Grows fast, hardy in your area, does not produce berries that I know of and is absolutely beautiful!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh sorry, you DO want to treat your girls! In that case, grapes?

 

[ellenscoop]

Here is a list of nontoxic plants which you could plant - http://www.poultrydvm.com/nontoxic.php

 

[harmonyp]

Grapes!

 

[AmyJane725]

Sorry to be off topic, but you mentioned that your run is "reinforced" with chicken wire. If you actually want to protect your chickens "hardware cloth" is what you want. 1/2" galvanized hardware cloth to be precise. Chicken wire is great at keeping chickens in, but not at keeping predators out.

Not trying to be preachy. Just looking out for you and your girls.

 

[chickengr]

Bougainvillea? Grows fast, hardy in your area, does not produce berries that I know of and is absolutely beautiful!

Bougainvillea is toxic for chickens. I have it but away from my coops.

 

[aart]

Growing anything on a mesh run can tear it down.
Get some shade cloths and/or plant something tall like sunflowers outside the run to provide some shade and cooling.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Bougainvillea is toxic for chickens. I have it but away from my coops.

Figures!