Designing my run (Plants)

[MVFoodForest]

I'm currently working on designing my bird pen for planting . We recently purchased our property and the formal owners raised exotic game birds . There are approx 50 individual shelter & runs which I plant to open up so there will be less but will be bigger and then a 50'x105' large open pen which is the area I will be planting . I will have a few breeds of chickens ,about a dozen of each breed . So I will rotate birds to have access to the large pen , so there will never be a huge number of birds in that area so not to overwhelm .

So this is what I was thinking .

Crabapple tree x 1
Plum Tree x 1
Elderberry x 1
Blueberry x 3
Comfrey
Bloody Dock
Yarrow
Queen Annes Lace
Feverfew
Fenugreek
Fennel
Swiss Chard
Mustard
Nastriums
Lovage
Amaranth
Hops
Echincea
Bee Balm
Maximillian Sunflowers
White Clover
Horse Pasture mix in the open areas

What do you think ? Okay anything you would take out ? Add ?

 

[Brahmamama4]

I'm assuming that you are going to be protecting each plant so that it doesn't get devoured by your chickens? They will reak havoc even in small numbers on any yummy (or not yummy) plants. It sounds like you have a dream set up as far as ready made pens for your birds though. Good luck with your flock!

 

[MVFoodForest]

I've chosen plants that are edible to supplement their diet , also why only a small number will be allowed in the pen at a time . I want them to eat just not totally destroy . Their individual runs are of adaquet size alone , this is just extra .

 

[tweetysvoice]

I think all of those sound great!!! You might want to provide "boxes" over them with chicken wire coverage so the plants have a chance to grow up some and set down good roots before you allow the chickens access. This way they'll last a lot longer and give more enjoyment to the chicks harvesting them Have you thought about wheat grass as well? It's cheap to buy wheat berries at a health food store and it grows quick. This might provide them with greens until the other plants become situated.

 

[MVFoodForest]

I'm not really going to have them loose in that area till the plants are established . The wheat grass is a good idea thanks .

 

[Carols Clucks]

I'm currently working on designing my bird pen for planting . We recently purchased our property and the formal owners raised exotic game birds . There are approx 50 individual shelter & runs which I plant to open up so there will be less but will be bigger and then a 50'x105' large open pen which is the area I will be planting . I will have a few breeds of chickens ,about a dozen of each breed . So I will rotate birds to have access to the large pen , so there will never be a huge number of birds in that area so not to overwhelm .

So this is what I was thinking .

Crabapple tree x 1
Plum Tree x 1
Elderberry x 1
Blueberry x 3
Comfrey
Bloody Dock
Yarrow
Queen Annes Lace
Feverfew
Fenugreek
Fennel
Swiss Chard
Mustard
Nastriums
Lovage
Amaranth
Hops
Echincea
Bee Balm
Maximillian Sunflowers
White Clover
Horse Pasture mix in the open areas

What do you think ? Okay anything you would take out ? Add ?

Your Chard and blueberries will probably not last the first day. The clover might get a couple of days, ours will not alfalfa, not sure about your sunflower, if it can get up high enough so they don't eat it will be okay. They do not eat feverfew, pretty sure the comfrey
goes fast too. Nasturtiums they leave alone. The rest not sure.

I would plant more trees, but protect them til they get tall enough so they do not strip the trees of new leaves.

We screen them off from new trees and keep them out of the companion flower beds until they are big enough that the chickens don't dig up.