Cover Crop for chickens that grows in shade?

[Chocobo]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'll have to see what kind of seeds I can get around here but now I have some things to go on.

 

[SteveBaz]

How about grape vines? I heard that grapes are very hardy and good shade to. How about ivy if your looking to just grow a wall of vegetation. Climbing roses grow and are food.

I love these window planter boxes you know 8"X12"X4' long.

Fill it with dirt and plant it HEAVY with herbs, spices, plants, grass. My neighbor turned me on she has 6 of them going.
Using chicken cloth make a hoop over the length of it including the ends.
Cloth requirement need stiff wire so when stood on iwont crush or cave in.
just go out and hand water a couple times a week.

Now put them along the run and the kids will keep eating them to the wire and keep them trimmed for you. Keep watering.

 

[Chocobo]

After speaking with someone from my local feedstore I decided to go with rye.
Apparently chickens like it and even better it will die off when it warms up which means I can put it anywhere I'm not growing something in the winter.