Flowers okay for chickens?

[ElleninDublin]

I'm a "newbee" and am preparing my coop for arriving chickens this wkend. I want to plant some flowers around the coop. At some point in the future, I'll be adding a larger run area....my question is, are there flowers that would make the birds sick, or ones that if they were to eat them, wouldn't be good for them? I'd just like to put in some hardy, but pretty ones. Thanks for indulging my desire to "make things pretty."

 

[Amyable]

This seems like a good thread on the topic.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=40645

 

[Akane]

They'll destroy them. The only thing that grows around my coop is the hardiest of weeds and mine have endless acres to free range on. The area in front of the coop is a flattened dirt area. As well as a few other areas in the landscaping and around the buildings that they've decided are good spots to hang out. Chickens destroy greenery. If it's an edible flower it will get eaten. If it's too close to the coop it will get completely eaten down to the ground unless it grows so fast and agressively as to be considered an invasive weed by most. The only thing not in a fenced area or far from the coop that has survived are my mint varieties which I planted in a little 10x10' herb garden 2 years ago and have since taken over the entire back yard and behind the garage. My mint was planning it's world domination until it met up with chickens. Now it's being eaten about as fast as it grows. At least the 2 balance each other out. Good thing I like to grow mint. There are other things in the mint family that might survive if kept fenced the first year like catnip, lemon balm, and bee balms as well as all the flavored mints. I'm still not sure they'd survive being planted right next to the coop though.