Chicken proof shrub?

[pbjmaker]

Is there such a thing? My hubby wants to plant a couple of "red" shrubs by the coop, but I think they would eat anything we plant with the exception of evergreens. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

He wants it for looks and for chicken cover from predators.

 

[Mahonri]

I'd like to know one also.

My chicks don't eat our oleanders, but they are poisonous, so I don't like them around them anyway.

They LOVE to eat my zucchini and squash plants and they love my bogaunvea plants.

 

[Imp]

My chickens don't bother the shrubs. I have Pyrocanthus, Skimmia, Witch Hazel, Aronia, Thimbleberry, High Bush Cranberry, Gooseberry, Currants, Blueberries, Lilac, Euonymous, Bamboo, Clematis, And several others that the names escape me. I have found that they do more damage from scratching up roots, and they are attracted to any new digging. Good Luck.

Imp- Course I only have 4 hens.

 

[Theda's Mom]

Besides leaving all my shrubs alone, my girls pretty much ignore the day lilies and Jerusalem artichoke that grow around the coop -- that is, after they're mature and big enough to survive the occasional nibble.

Now the vegetable garden is a different matter entirely .. the hens have been banned. period. end subject.

 

[henryetta]

Beautiful pics! Somewhat like my place only where your beautiful GREEN grass is, well, with our water conservation here in cali, mine is pretty much brown :-( But, on this subject, dont marigolds repell flees and mites etc???? something i wondered if we could plant around the coop to ward off any of those type critters... I may make a seperate post if no one sees this cause i really have been tempted to plant, but dont know if they're a 'favorite' snack or anything....

 

[pbjmaker]

Mine got banned from my butterfly garden because they were eating all the flowers as they came up this spring. Hostas seemed to be a favorite. They also like my Joe Pye weed and mock orange bush where it hangs over the "barrier".

I do have some daylilies that haven't bloomed since I moved them two years ago - they leave those alone. I forgot about them in fact. I might move those and I have my eye on a purple smoke shrub (tree). I just don't want to get it planted and then have them inhale it. Maybe I can set it out in the container it comes in and see what they do to it before planting.

BTW - I am sitting at 46 chicks/hens/roosters and I think that makes a huge difference.

I'm getting ready to sell a bunch of them.

 

[Imp]

Beautiful pics! Somewhat like my place only where your beautiful GREEN grass is, well, with our water conservation here in cali, mine is pretty much brown :-( But, on this subject, dont marigolds repell flees and mites etc???? something i wondered if we could plant around the coop to ward off any of those type critters... I may make a seperate post if no one sees this cause i really have been tempted to plant, but dont know if they're a 'favorite' snack or anything....

Thanks, Lots of shade help keep the lawn green.I can only plant marigolds in hanging baskets. Slugs will eat them to the ground overnight. Plants that I've heard are bug repellent are: Marigolds, Geraniums, Onions, and Garlic.

Mine got banned from my butterfly garden because they were eating all the flowers as they came up this spring. Hostas seemed to be a favorite. They also like my Joe Pye weed and mock orange bush where it hangs over the "barrier".

I do have some daylilies that haven't bloomed since I moved them two years ago - they leave those alone. I forgot about them in fact. I might move those and I have my eye on a purple smoke shrub (tree). I just don't want to get it planted and then have them inhale it. Maybe I can set it out in the container it comes in and see what they do to it before planting.

BTW - I am sitting at 46 chicks/hens/roosters and I think that makes a huge difference.


I've seen other posts where hosta got eaten. Mine have not touched anything with spiky leaves like Daylilies, Iris, Glad, Asiatic lily.
I really want a smoke tree. but have no room left. I do have lots of trees in containers on the deck. Don't know what I'm gonna do when they get big. Lol!

Imp- And Yes I think 46 makes a huge difference. Good Luck​