Growing vines on run for shade?

[drangle]

has anyone tried this? if so what has worked well? I would like to try but I have to do some research and find something non toxic for chickens

 

[raingarden]

The trick is to keep the plants away from the chickens until it is up over their head. Plant them outside the run and let them grow up a stick or sprawl on the ground until they are long enough to let them grow on the run wire.

 

[Chzikken]

has anyone tried this? if so what has worked well? I would like to try but I have to do some research and find something non toxic for chickens

In fact, my wisteria is taking off this year and is snaking all over one corner of the run.

 

[3KillerBs]

Beware of growing woody vines like grapes, etc. directly on your wire.

The weight can collapse your structure and the vines can tear up the wire. Best to build a sturdy trellis outside your actual run.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

I stick to veggies..and as stated hens will scratch them out before they take off..I plant veggies...such as squashes cukes ect..I start them in containers..then after well established sink them in the ground..container and all...buckets work great for this..and it gives the girls shade and free picking...if I planted perennials..the weight would not only take down my roof but allow predators an easier way up..also vines covering could hide damages again allowing predators access..

 

[raingarden]

In fact, my wisteria is taking off this year and is snaking all over one corner of the run.

That would be beautiful. I wish I could do it.

A woody arbor will keep needing additional support unless it is built like a tank to begin with. But, if it is built like a tank to begin with then it looks out of place for years while the woody vine becomes established. Then, what if it dies and never becomes established?

Pushing it up and building a structure from below works pretty well with woody vines. They were designed by nature to be a little flexible.

 

[aart]

In fact, my wisteria is taking off this year and is snaking all over one corner of the run.

It will eat it...the whole thing.
Kill it now while it's easy.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

You're all making me jealous! My coop is under Doug Fir canopy in shade. Nothing grows but Ivy. So I do have Ivy growing up one side of my run. It originates outside, a few feet away from my chain link because chicken feet will kill even strong Ivy. This is English Ivy by the way which is toxic to animals however they do avoid it, they do not eat it.

 

[drangle]

can chickens eat Virginia creeper? it grows well here

 

[linguini]

You can plant squashes or beans OUTSIDE of the chicken fence and just let them take off.
Last year, I had two squash plants that covered a big part of the aviary net we use to cover the chicken run and vegetable garden. See below picture (sorry, only have photos after first day of frost, not the best looking, but you can see the extend they grow).

This year, I planted beans in the vegetable garden, taking advantage of the chicken fence. The vines of the beans went crazy and out of control. Formed a canopy over the aviary net. (chickens ate whatever bottom leaves they could get to).

The only problem is that it takes a while for the beans/squashes to grow. The bushes only got established after mid-july, and will die with the first frost in Nov (in central NJ).