Good plants/flowers to put in run

[carollwood]

Finishing up the run (4' X 35'), and before I fence it in, I want to put in some plants and flowers that the birds can eat and enjoy. Don't want to wait and grow them, just want to buy them from a Lowes/Home Depot and plant em. Live in Florida so its very hot, and they will be in the sun a lot. Any Recommendations?

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Lavender and mint. Lavender is really good in or near nesting boxes and smells really good. Mice don't like mint. I'm growing mine from scratch so they are still in the greenhouse

 

[aart]

Finishing up the run (4' X 35'), and before I fence it in, I want to put in some plants and flowers that the birds can eat and enjoy. Don't want to wait and grow them, just want to buy them from a Lowes/Home Depot and plant em. Live in Florida so its very hot, and they will be in the sun a lot. Any Recommendations?

Well, most things they are going to just tear up probably less than an hour after you plant them....scratching causes more damage then eating.

Might think about grazing frames:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

 

[gallo pinto]

Whatever it is would have to be big enough for them not to scratch up unless you use a grazing frame, as aart mentioned. Perhaps something like a rose bush where they could eat the fallen petals?
My run is somewhat similar to yours (I think mine is about 6 feet wide and maybe 30 feet long), and it did not take long for them to rip up every weed and bit of clover, leaving just a few weeds growing at the fence line that they peck at but are too close to effectively scratch up.