Chicken run in existing garden- good idea?

[sformel]

You mentioned that the planned chicken run has a cherry tree? I'm pretty sure that all parts of a cherry tree except the fruit are poisonous. This means leaves and bark. I don't know how poisonous

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

In my experience unless they have nothing else at all to eat they won't eat poisonous things.

Your garden run idea sounds like a good one, you could leave them in there for 6-12 months and then move them elsewhere if you want to then develop it. My run encompasses two plum trees and several scrubby bushes. I fence off all producing gardens then let them free range the beds every afternoon over winter, which pretty much means I don't have to do anything come spring planting time except refence the gardens again. I rotate my retired hens flock to smash up areas I intend to replant or develop. Works great!