How to plant mint around your coop

[WthrLady]

Funny story about the tenacity of mint. I had it in my garden. I never cared that it spread everywhere as I would just cut it down and walk on it where I didn't actually want it to be. Fast forward a couple of years and the garden was the spot for the new barn. LOTS of digging and scraping. 3 feet of new dirt. 18 inches of gravel and stone on top of that. and this spring? I moved a box in the barn to find a 12 inch tall mint sprig growing IN THE BARN, not even any sun!

You don't plant mint, or grow mint. You bend to it's whim and hope it doesn't drive you crazy. You co-exist with mint.

 

[50-45-1]

I planted a herb row on the south end of my garden spot. I now have oregano and pineapple mint out on the yard. I also have chammile up and down my driveway and wormwood everywhere. I dont mind, it all smells wonderful when its mowed.
I dont think there is much of anything that will survive inside a chicken run though.

 

[aart]

I have a lot of mint that I need to transplant. But there was a nest of rats living inside the mint bush. So I don't think it repels them.

Well, that takes care of that myth.

 

[Megan Sterling]

First make sure you want the mint and don't mind it spreading everywhere. It's a very invasive plant. Having grown a number of varieties, it's easy for me to believe that mint is the one plant that could stand up to chickens.

Secondly, while mint is a mild deterrent to rodents, chicken feed is a huge attractant to rodents. Do the math. You'll end up with mint that you can never get rid of and you'll still have rodents.

Put some ground chillies in chicken for for rodents... good to keep both mice and mites from the koop. Chickens can’t taste chillies, mites can taste it on their skin, and mice can taste it and don’t like it.
Agree, mint is pretty invasive, and therefore easy to grow (especially in wetter climates).
Busy transplanting some into my run so to keep the place smelling fresher

 

[mldlm]

I planted 2 mint plants in my chicken run. My 4 chickens devoured them within a couple of days. They LOVED it. I am just hoping it will grow more. Right now, it just looks like stems…lol

 

[McChooky]

I planted 2 mint plants in my chicken run. My 4 chickens devoured them within a couple of days. They LOVED it. I am just hoping it will grow more. Right now, it just looks like stems…lol

The only reason my mints alive is I planted it outside the run not in it.The mint doing great.They almost killed my beautiful butterfly bush but I moved it.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The only reason my mints alive is I planted it outside the run not in it.The mint doing great.They almost killed my beautiful butterfly bush but I moved it.

^^^
Planting mint or other mounding, running plants (creeping thyme, oregano, etc) outside the run and allowing it to grow inward is very effective, can help with minor smells, relatively quickly covers things like predator aprons with a low carpet, provides a nice, rustic beauty, and is COMPLETELY ineffective as a bug/rodent repellent.

In season, it has some minor nutritional value, too - but mostly its (oregano, thyme) good for seasoning your birds and seasoning your drinks (mint for a mojito) on a hot day.

 

[McChooky]

^^^
Planting mint or other mounding, running plants (creeping thyme, oregano, etc) outside the run and allowing it to grow inward is very effective, can help with minor smells, relatively quickly covers things like predator aprons with a low carpet, provides a nice, rustic beauty, and is COMPLETELY ineffective as a bug/rodent repellent.

In season, it has some minor nutritional value, too - but mostly its (oregano, thyme) good for seasoning your birds and seasoning your drinks (mint for a mojito) on a hot day.

Yes I agree. Its nice to have around the coop.Lovely color and smells good!

 

[Kidwantschickens]

I always find wild min in wet areas with great soil. Does it grow in drier soil types?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I always find wild min in wet areas with great soil. Does it grow in drier soil types?

I used to raise it in TX (drink a lot of mojitos there, very popular!) and do it in my raised beds in FL (I'm on a hill, so my raised beds are about 175' above sea level - which in FL is a "hill"). The stems can get a bit woody in drier conditions, and the edges of the leaves a bit brown and damaged, but yes, it will still do quite well.

Like anything, it can struggle in very dense clay soils (which is why mine is in raised beds), or nutrient poor sands (where it can spread rapidly/easily, but will never thrive, just get "leggy"). But if you have chickens, you have good soil - or will, in time.

Half convinced early man found it as a weed which outcompeted almost everything, and decided to eat it to keep it under control!