Can I plant azaleas around my run?

[Adventurefamily5]

We put in a coop and run in suburbia... and we need to camouflage it some. We decided on planting azaleas around the edges, but when I got home, I read that they are poisonous. I also read that the chickens are smart enough to know they shouldn't eat it. Anyone have experience? Thanks for your help!

 

[hencrazy]

I wouldn't count on your chickens being smart enough not to eat it. If you're going to plant them make sure they are far enough from the run so your chickens can't reach the leaves. Also make sure to keep them pruned on the side facing the run.

 

[NonnasBabies]

I have oleanders that are highly poisionous and I see the chickens peck on them all the time. Haven't lost one yet!!

And I refuse to give up my oleanders!!

I'm planning on rooting a bunch of gardenias this spring and planting them all around my coop!! Also read a thread recently about where someone said they have luck with bamboo staying alive in the coop. Wanna give that a go. A neighbor of mine has the clumping kind not the one that takes over everything!!

 

[Judy]

Poisonous may be an advantage, may keep them from eating them extensively enough to kill the plant. There have got to be lots of free range chickens and azaleas near each other in my area since we have so many of both. The problem may be keeping them off the young plants long enough to get them established, although for the most part my chickens leave my shrubs alone, except to scratch at the base for bugs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I planted a mini azalea in a half wiskey barrel thinking naw they won't mess with this, well turns out it's a favorite hang out so sure enough they started to snack, so I ended up putting chicken wire around it so they couldn't perch on the barrel, They must not have too much of a problem with it because they did eat some of the leaves. I find my chickens will eat just about anything green or at least try it.

 

[teach1rusl]

I have azaleas and blackberry inside my run...lol. I've chicken wired them off until they get bigger though. My girls do pick through the azaleas around the house landscaping when they're out and about, but haven't decimated them.

 

[Nursecole]

What happens to the chickens that eat the azaleas? Could it make them shed intestinal lining??