Chickens and grape/muscadine vines?

[Eric in NC]

I am planning my coop and chicken yard. Wanted to know if it is ok to include some grape and muscadine vines in the area the chickens can get to.

Will they destroy the vines like they tend to do with grass etc.?

Will the grapes and muscadines (fruit) hurt the chickens if they get too much of it?

I don't care if the chickens eat some/most of the fruit - just don't want to harm them or have them kill off the vines.

 

[debilorrah]

they will pick the vines clean and then some, so yes, they will probably kill that portion of the vine. But plants are funny things - they may just grow back... The fruit is fine for the birds.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Our neighbors have a grape arbos (type unknown). Any grapes we can pick over the fence go right down the gullets of our girls.

Our 21oz bantam cochin once ate over 30 grapes in a sitting. DBF and I were *shocked*.

She could barely move afterwards but was soooo happy.

 

[eggzettera]

If you protect the vine the first year to help get it established you should be fine. I have 5+ year vines & my birds only get to free range occasionally they like the leaves & the fruit, since it is 4+ feet tall they can only get to the bottom half. (Grape leaves are eaten by people too - dolmades come to mind.....)

 

[Eric in NC]

Well these are 6-7 year old vines - already well established. I thought if the chickens wouldn't absolutely destroy them, then they would provide some nice greens and some shade (on a trellis) if they were in the run.

Sounds like it could work.

 

[jbowyer01]

I have honeysuckle vines along my fence line and my chickens love the leaves. The keep the lower area around the fence gets picked clean but the top drapes over the fence and looks great! Even the sections that they eat grows little baby leaves and they seem to like them even better.

 

[eggzettera]

I have honeysuckle right nest to my grape vines & have never seen them touch them - hmmmmmm will have to pay more attention but maybe it just "personal" taste.......

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Muscadines will need protected till they get established. Once there five feet tall they should be ok.