Chicken run in existing garden- good idea?

[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!

 

[adgcountrygirl]

Hi there!
I am new to chickens, don't have any yet, but preparing to welcome three in the spring. In the mean time I have been researching, reading and planning where they will go! I have a 'meh' garden at the back of the yard, and a large honeysuckle bush (invasive so eventually I will replace with a native tree but provides shade for now) . I was thinking about putting the coop beside the tree for shade, and building the run around the current garden. In the garden are two small trees (elderberry, cherry tree, both about a metre tall currently) as well as some perrennials such as peonies, a small climbing rose, strawberries and a hydrangea and a couple taller lilac trees. The ground is already wood chips and the garden is usually mulched with wood chips and straw. Will they just obliterate everything or will they be okay in this wild run, If they are out free ranging a lot of the day (when I can supervise)? My phone is broken at the moment so I can't attach any photos, and it's winter. Any thoughts welcome

I used to let my chickens free-range our unfenced garden after it was well established. Squash and Okra were knee-high or taller. My chickens were more interested in the bugs that it attracted than the actual plants. That is not to say I didn't occasionally have a peck mark or two on my squash, but it was surprisingly rare.
We moved over 2 years ago. Our garden and run are directly next to each other. When the coop and run are complete, there will be a door or ramp that allows them into the garden when it is ready. I also want a green house so that I can transplant instead of starting in the ground from seeds. That way they can roam the garden sooner.