Growing Vines up Mesh Fence of Chicken Run?

[ClareScifi]

I'd like to plant vining flowers and veggies around my chicken run, which has a plastic mesh fence, perfect for the vines to crawl up. They would add some beauty to the run.

But I have read that flowering sweet peas are poisonous. Do you think the chickens would eat sweet pea vines and get sick? I'm also considering edible peas, but would they destroy the vines before the peas could form, even if the vines are planted on the side of the fence that is outside their run? I'm thinking once the vines start twining around the mesh, the chickens might eat them?

I'm also considering morning glories, but once again they are considered poisonous? I thought I saw my chooks munch on bindweed last summer with no ill effects, but I guess it's a different type of morning glory?

I have read that chickens pretty much stay away from plants that are bad for them.

What do you think? It's about time to get the sweet peas/edible peas in the ground.

 

[blueferral]

I have wild Jasmine growing up the side of my pens. The girls never bother with it. Mind you, they free range all day so get all the greens they want.

 

[ClareScifi]

Interesting, BlueFerral. My girls would be confined inside the run, so you are right. That well could make a big difference.

 

[Nslangton]

I'm interested in a flowering vine also. We are in Northeast PA. I am going to plant lettuce, radish, and marigolds along the front for the chicks to eat. Along the side I am interested in pretty flowers or vines not toxic to chickens to dress up the run. I hope you get some good responses or ideas.

 

[ClareScifi]

Honeysuckle might do well. Is it toxic to chooks? It smells so good! My hens did escape this morning, and I saw the rooster trying to eat buds off one of my honeysuckles! I had to shoo them all back in the run, or I would have no blossoms! It is a red-orange honeysuckle, though. I think the golden ones are the fragrant ones.

 

[blueferral]

There is a post some where with a list of plants toxic to chickens. Its mostly scientific names and really long. I'm way to lazy to figure it all out. From what I've read/seen chickens will not eat something toxic to them. Unless, they are crowded, or hungry, stressed, etc.. FYI I'm not a vet. or expert of any kind.

 

[ClareScifi]

You should have seen my pet rooster chow down on everything I was overwintering in the solarium, where I raised him by hand. I had bamboo, dracaena, geraniums. I did try to remove everything I thought might be toxic to him. Then he got a stuffed crop, and I was sure he was going to die, thinking it was from the fibrous bamboo leaves, but the vet didn't seemed concerned. I think he stuffed himself on birdseed, instead, one day outdoors.

If he can survive all those plants, many of whose leaves were pretty tough, I think he's a pretty good little survivor. And it gave him an adventurous palate. Today he was stripping the buds off my orange honeysuckle bush! He ate up my lilacs earlier. So I am a bit afraid to plant anything poisonous by the run, because he seems to like to eat all plants.

 

[leight54]

I'm going to try Malabar spinach this year.

 

[Desirai]

I've been thinking what kind of plant(s) to plant to climb on my fence too. I love climbing plants. But again, not sure what is dangerous! Been trying to research it here on BYC

 

[ClareScifi]

My rooster ate all my vining malabar spinach I was overwintering in the solarium. I don't think it has oxylates in it, so that is good.