Chicken Coop grass and decorations.

[fluffyxx]

Okay, so I am going to start work on fixing up our old chicken coop in the next week or so. My chicks are about 6 weeks old -ish. So I plan on putting them out in the next couple of weeks, once I'm sure our weather is stable enough. My question is... would it be okay to put some fertilizer out down there? It has been a while since that coop as been messed with, so I'm not entirely sure how much grass is in there for them. So, would it be okay to put some grass seed out with some sort of fertilizer, since it will still be a little while before they are actually in there?



Also, are there any kinds of flowers I can buy to plant in there for them to destroy?

Or just any kind of plants that I could buy at a greenhouse, like maybe flowers, greenery, or vegetable plants?



And finally, what would be some good "obstacles" to have in there for them? Something for them to hop up on, etc.


Thank you!

 

[devora]

Also, are there any kinds of flowers I can buy to plant in there for them to destroy?

Or just any kind of plants that I could buy at a greenhouse, like maybe flowers, greenery, or vegetable plants?

Is that smiley b/c you kinda don't think they will completely destroy the plants or b/c you're looking forward to the destruction?

 

[Kikiriki]

I would imagine if the run had chickens before you do not need any extra fertilizer! They can eat hibiscus leaves if they grow where you are...you could always keep it in a pot and move it indoors if your up north. Chickweed is good and a smattering of clover is also okay...too much clover is bad according to what Ive read. Mother-in-laws tongue is not toxic, and thornless berries would be good, too.

I have cement blocks that Ive used for various things and right now they are just set up like stairs. They love to fly up on them and play queen of the hill. Bugs like to gather under them, so when I move them around the girls get a snack!

I have a branch cut off a large shrub as a tree for my girls to fly up onto. Getting it stable has been an issue, though, so cut it long enough to plant well into the ground. I tried doing boards nailed to the base but they are heavy enough to unbalance it. I cant plant mine because the coop is under an oak tree and the roots are very dense.

I have other branches at various levels stuck through the fence and they enjoy picking different places to roost during their breaks from that exhausting job of eating!

 

[fluffyxx]

The smiley is because I am looking forward to the destruction.

Haha! Poor flowers.





And, I probably should have mentioned it has been about 4-5 years, I think, since there were any chickens in that coop.
But, thanks for the information. I'll have to look into those plants and see if I can find any. I'm not very well versed in the plant world, so I'll have to do some research. And thanks for the decorating tips! I know we have some old cement blocks somewhere around here, so that will be easy. And I'm sure I can find some branches, considering I live surrounded by trees.

I am going to have to try and refrain from doing too much "cutesy" stuff, as I know most things will get pecked or pooped on.

 

[CorinneP]

A while back I read a poor woman posting on here that her entire flock died and it was from fertilizing her yard. I cant remember the brands she used but she was crushed !! they will climb on anything and everything ! So far I think my Hosta has been safe not much else .. I am telling my self I am a chicken lover not a flower lover : ( Though I am going to try and come up with some solutions .. It it really the softer soil they like more than the greenery they love the scratching part. Of course now Tomatoes and such they are going to eat for you ..

 

[fluffyxx]

Oh no! Well maybe I won't have to fertilize. I'm not sure, I'm going to check on the coop's yard condition today. It hasn't been touched in years, so I know the weeds will be high. So, I'm not really sure about how much grass there is in there. Hopefully it isn't too bad.

I may browse around my basement and see if I can find some fun climbing things for them.

I wanted the flowers and such, to make it "cute". (For a few minutes maybe?) Haha.

But, also something different for them to have.

 

[Kikiriki]

http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/Factsheets/Natural_toxins_in_pasture_crops.pdf

http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html

Two links above are for plant ideas of what to avoid and what is safe.

If you really must fertilize, I recommend worm castings.  Totally safe, totally worth the money.

http://www.happydranch.com/articles/Worm_Castings_Reference_Information.htm

 

[Kikiriki]

Wanted to add that some things that are on the toxic list are reported to be fine in small quantities by chicken owners (like clover or alfalfa). Any plant considered toxic becomes more so in a drought because the concentration of the toxins or nitrogen is higher. Thus a plant the chickens eat without a problem can become a problem if you are in a dry spell...

 

[Hawgon]

I just buy sod pieces at Home Depot and put them in my frame with hardware cloth over it. I saw it on this forum before and it has a name but I dont remember what it is. It works great so far. I have one in the run and one as a "doormat". I put one sod piece in the run uncovered and it was destroyed in less that 5 days with 6 chickens. I would for sure not fertilize anywhere around where my chickens are or ever may be. I have heard horror stories about fertilizer and chickens.

As an added note we have found that they munch on the regular Hostas but not the verigated sp.? ones.(you know the ones with green leaves and white trim around them). Dont figure......

 

[fluffyxx]

Thanks for the links! The first one wouldn't work for me, any file that has to be opened to be read on my computer, never works.

But the second link was just wonderful. So, I think I may go with the Impatiens. I believe they aren't too expensive, so it won't hurt to let them get devoured. So is it okay if I buy a tray of the Impatiens, from Lowe's or where ever, and since it has the soil in with it, is that soil okay for the chickens? Since I'm trying to stay away from fertilizer now.. I wanna make sure that the soil that comes with them are okay. I hope that made sense.



Now from reading that toxic list. I'm sort of paranoid, as I don't know what types of plants or weeds are in the chicken coop at present. I went down there the other day and the little coop yard wasn't too bad. But, there may be some poison ivy or something in there, we seem to have lots of it in our woods. So, what do I do about those plants? I at least know what the poison ivy and such looks like, but most of those others I wouldn't have a clue what they looked like.

And thanks for the idea with the sod. I'll have to check into that.


I haven't actually climbed over inside of the coop yet. But from what I could see, the yard wasn't too bad. So I'm relieved about that. It needs quite a bit of work though, just to spruce it up. I'm excited to get started. But, just want to make sure that I make everything safe and nice for the little girls to come live in.

Edited to ask -
About the worms with the link you posted. Do you think it would be worthwhile to buy some earthworms, I guess you can get earthworms from bait shops.. right? , would it be worth it to buy some to put in the coop in hopes of helping out the plantlife/future flowers?