Challenges of living in the woods with chickens

[CabritaChicks]

And finally, the only native shade tolerant grass in my area, Elymus hystrix, bottlebrush grass.

Here- grasses are the enemy- they harbor the mosquitos that kill, every, single year.

Plants, like food sources and wildlife, shift and evolve over time. What’s considered “native” isn’t always static—it can outcompete itself, leading to a decline in local pollinators and animal activity just the same as an introduced species might. I fully believe in respecting the environment, but I also think we need to acknowledge that ecosystems are dynamic, not frozen in time (I have lived everywhere from eurpoe, asia, middle east, and the caribbean).

I say this as someone living firsthand on an island the size of a postage stamp—what many would call a dry, rocky volcanic mess (which is why they call us 'rock city'). Much of the “lushness” here is artificial, shaped by human choices over many decades. So while your plant list might be great for your region, it's important to realize that what's appropriate or beneficial is deeply place-dependent. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

(And just to lighten the mood a bit—I’ve seen tourists with french and food scraps fries from charters do a better job feeding chickens than half the ornamental gardens out there!)

One odd example: our chickens absolutely love a tree called the 'nauty plum'—a highly toxic wild species by all other accounts. But it only grows on the dry, sun-baked east end of our island. Try to grow it on the wetter west side? It dies. Just goes to show how unpredictable—and site-specific—plant behavior really is in an island that is only a few miles wide.

 

[TOMTE]

It's definitely not for everywhere. All things have their time and place, and what works wonderfully in one area can be a nightmare in another

Yaupon holly is the most chicken useful native plant in my region. It provides food, tree canopy that prevents hawks from seeing chickens, and it provides dense, low folliage that can physically stop a hawk attack. I've personally watched a hawk crash into a yaupon bush before trying to catch a two month old chick. It's their main roosting tree too

Awesome! Those are beautiful. And double awesome that they offer such great protection for your chooks!

If you're looking for native nitrogen fixers, I've got a handful to look into:

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a tree in the legume family native to Appalachia and the Ozarks. It can be found in northern Alabama. They're gorgeous trees whose blooms smell absolutely amazing and they attract all sorts of wildlife.

Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea) is native to portions of Alabama. Another legume and nitrogen fixer. Beautiful red flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Wild cowpea (Vigna luteola), another legume, native to AL. Deer and birds love it.

Basically, look into native legumes

 

[TOMTE]

So while your plant list might be great for your region, it's important to realize that what's appropriate or beneficial is deeply place-dependent.

That's exactly my point. It's why I specified that those plants are native here, in southwest Michigan, and why I suggest everybody educate themselves on what's native and beneficial to their area.

 

[CabritaChicks]

That's exactly my point. It's why I specified that those plants are native here, in southwest Michigan, and why I suggest everybody educate themselves on what's native and beneficial to their area.

With all due respect, many of the plants you mentioned weren’t originally native to the area—though they grow there now. Plants are fluid; they move, adapt, and establish themselves over time. What really matters is how well a species works with the land—things like soil composition, drainage, and pH play a huge role in determining what can thrive in a given environment.

By certain logic, I suppose I should’ve never planted an herb garden, grown my own vegetables or fruit, or cultivated any kind of fodder—considering this place was once a desolate, rocky mountain long before I came along. But feral chickens here- by the DPNR only live 4 years in the jungle.

Instead I work to from what works here- not what is native and ensure there are enough complimentary species to prevent pests (which is why there is no real farming on the island). I let them roam, I plant, and I work to ensure they are healthy- plants and animals. My environment is far different from yours (although I did live in California and Minnesota and did extensive research restoring an area finding that almost nothing was 'native' in the true sense of the word).

 

[TOMTE]

With all due respect, many of the plants you mentioned weren’t originally native to the area—though they grow there now. Plants are fluid; they move, adapt, and establish themselves over time. What really matters is how well a species works with the land—things like soil composition, drainage, and pH play a huge role in determining what can thrive in a given environment.

By certain logic, I suppose I should’ve never planted an herb garden, grown my own vegetables or fruit, or cultivated any kind of fodder—considering this place was once a desolate, rocky mountain long before I came along. But feral chickens here- by the DPNR only live 4 years in the jungle.

Instead I work to from what works here- not what is native and ensure there are enough complimentary species to prevent pests (which is why there is no real farming on the island). I let them roam, I plant, and I work to ensure they are healthy- plants and animals. My environment is far different from yours (although I did live in California and Minnesota and did extensive research restoring an area finding that almost nothing was 'native' in the true sense of the word).

We'll have to agree to disagree on certain points, and try to keep this thread on topic perhaps now? Or if you want to discuss it more I'm happy to talk through private messages

(ETA I genuinely love learning about this stuff so seriously, do PM me if you want to chat about ecology/conservation. I want to know why I'm wrong when I am, but I don't want to keep derailing this thread)

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Awesome! Those are beautiful. And double awesome that they offer such great protection for your chooks!

If you're looking for native nitrogen fixers, I've got a handful to look into:

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a tree in the legume family native to Appalachia and the Ozarks. It can be found in northern Alabama. They're gorgeous trees whose blooms smell absolutely amazing and they attract all sorts of wildlife.

Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea) is native to portions of Alabama. Another legume and nitrogen fixer. Beautiful red flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Wild cowpea (Vigna luteola), another legume, native to AL. Deer and birds love it.

Basically, look into native legumes

I appreciate the gesture. The first two plants you listed aren't native to my area (southernmost gulf coast) but the last one seems to be

 

[Appalachickens]

I don't see any nitrogen fixers in my area at all other than clover (invasive) in lawns (also invasive) occasionally. Mimosa is the only nitrogen fixer here that exists in places other than invasive grass lawns and again, pollinators use it and its nitrogen fixation ability is far superior to clover

Clover only puts nitrogen into the soil when it dies annually. Mimosa uses its roots to regularly deposit nitrogen into the surrounding soil throughout its entire lifespan

I believe that the two of us are in very different regions. In my area the soil is almost entirely low quality sand, so I look positively upon any nitrogen fixer because we overwhelming lack them

Wheat is from the Middle East. Potatoes are from South America. Corn is from Mexico. Cows are from Europe. Chickens are from Asia. Sheep are from Europe. Most humans on this continent are from Europe and most of them grow European grasses around their homes intentionally displacing the native flora

It strikes me as illogical to be concerned about the origin of pretty pink trees that grow occasionally on the side of the road when 99% of the species humans interact with in America are from foreign lands

Personally I don't care about the geographic origin of things. I have ancestors from multiple continents that have moved many thousands of miles around the world. Species move around, always have and always will. There are far better ways to focus on ecological improvement than foreign versus native

I think you are missing my point entirely. It's not about disliking a "pretty pink tree," it's about trying to protect native pollinators which are essential to our own survival. Most of the food plants you mention are not invasive, so that's not relevant. Where your family originated is also not relevant since there is only one existing human species. If you are open to learning about it, you might consider reading Doug Tallamy's books, which can probably explain why planting natives matter better than I can.

 

[Appalachickens]

If we’re going for who’s “native”, then we all better get off the land and go back to the ocean.

Sure, the earth would be better off without us, but how many of us are willing to commit suicide to make that happen? Not me. It's possible to do your best to mitigate the harm you do to the earth and protect nature as much as you can, however.

 

[WildNectarine]

Sure, the earth would be better off without us, but how many of us are willing to commit suicide to make that happen? Not me. It's possible to do your best to mitigate the harm you do to the earth and protect nature as much as you can, however.

I don’t know I think the animals and plants appreciate all our advancements in medicine that help them. Nature is beautiful, but it’s brutal, and terrible, and I’d never want to go back to it. I don’t think my little coturnix quail pets would either, they like their toys and their treats, and not having E.Coli.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Let’s refocus for a moment—there’s one major predator in forest living that rarely gets mentioned: your spouse.

They might not always be on board with your wild ideas. They may not always fully understand your intentions. Some days they’re helpful, other days they’re suspiciously holding the tape measure like it’s a weapon. Case in point coop number 3 in less than a year (this is the final one however....I learned lessons)

So if we have a conversation about 'challenges living in the woods'...
… sure, there’s limited access to supplies, predators and the nonstop maintenance of anything chicken-related. And let’s be honest—most sexy grassy photos show a perfectly flat path and garden from the patio door to the coop (and im sure they own a lawn mower). Meanwhile, I'm out here hiking a mini mountain path.

The real challenge: convincing your spouse to go along with increasingly bizarre demands. I swear I say “Honey, trust me!” at least three times a day… which means the spousal upkeep might be the most demanding of all.