I plan to make a Garden in my chicken pasture to give them shade, cover, mental stimulation, and food. As my pasture has no shade or anything, I plan to extend it next year.
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My current list
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I live in USDA zone 6b, with clay soil.
Please give me suggestions where most of the plant is chicken safe (in moderation) or things to avoid. For herbs I would plant ones that spread.
Sorghum should do well for you, in theory. In practice, I've struggled to get sorghum, and sorghum/sudangrass hybrid to take on my clay soils (7b/8a gone). Fescue does well, so does millet. Perrenial rye struggles, but provides some green in winter. Take a look at more traditional "prairie" grasses, like bluestem. You are probably cold enough for orchard grass, I'm not. My Quinoa have been pops of color, but no dietary addition. Too few, too much struggle.
Alfalfa and timothy don't work for me, I'm too hot. Should work for you. I rely on a lot of clovers. Zebra grass doesn't have a lot of nutritional value. You may do ok w/ Sorrels.
Once established, thyme and oregano are hard to kill, expect your birds likely won't eat them - but still useful for your kitchen. Mine ignore basil, as well.
Grapes won't provide for you for several years. Seasonal shade, mostly sugars for your birds. They won't touch the leaves, too much tannin. Build heavier that you think you will need. I'm going into year 3/4 and need to upgrade both my wire and my posts. Have yet to find a great resource on how best to anchor them. Spacing is 20' and stagger. One grape line from left to right, 20' in lenght. Next, from right to left, again, 20' in lengh, with 10' between rows. Roses are pretty, but no value. Hops grow really fast, but are so bitter they have limited value. Hope you brew your own, so you have some use for even a single vine.
Birds are really good at destroying blueberries before they are established - and they will denude your plants several days before they are ripe. Ask me how I know. Rosemary is another good "shade" shrup w/ kiitchen use, beginning year 3 or 4. Like blueberry, it has to be protected the first year or your birds will kill it while trying to dust bath next to it. This was my first year trying forsythia, lost both plants (weather, not birds), so no advice. Beauty berry provides effective seasonal shade. Dogwoods look dead most of the year. Don't bother.
That's all I've got from experience. Hopefully others will chime in.
