I started a page of Chicken Proof Plants

[CourageousChic]

Great list! Looking forward to using it to help fill in our coop landscaping. From my experience they won't touch Gardenias, Passionfruit Vine, or Pentas if you'd like to add those to the list too.

 

[squeakyballs]

Thanks for all of the replies, I updated it. The list is getting LONG!

 

[HorizonSon]

Quote:
It says mixed results

Someone said they didn't touch theirs, but then someone else said the same as you! Friggen chickens!

Comfrey is at the #1 top spot on my list for supplemental greens. That plant has darn near everything under the sun in it (once established: 3~6yrs), including B12! The bonus to it all is, the chickens love the stuff

 

[Illia]

Our Plantain gets eaten often, but never actually "destroyed" - The stuff in our Bachelor pad is still able to grow up to 5 ft tall.

Not sure if anyone else even has that though. It's a wild weed out here, not a garden plant.

 

[HorizonSon]

Quote:
Sounds like you got the taller slender variety. Mostly, that's what we have here, too. However; we have quite a bit of the plantain major, the low growing broadleaf variety, were there is heavy shade.

Plantain is a good potherb and an excellent medicinal. Next time you get a bug bite; bruise the leaves and rub it on. It's an anti-infamatory, amongst other things

Oh; birds love plantain seeds! It's commonly found in wild bird feed.

 

[Carols Clucks]

Our chickens free range, out of the center of this fenced lower garden with have a veggie garden (fenced of course) this leaves us with a 30+ foot Moat around 3 sides of the garden and a smaller one on one side. I did some research on companion planting of pest attracting plants to put around the outside of the veggie garden fence (it helps with keeping the hens from trying to dig under as well)

I have Gladiolas, watsonia, daffs & bella donna lilies as bulbs. The chickens at worst dig up bulbs but never eat any of them.

Hollyhocks (they will eat the lower leaves but that only encourages more shoots)
Nasturiums (sp) You can add those to a salad, but the chickens leave alone
Calendula
Marigolds
feverfew
sho-fly
Sunflowers


We do a few things to allow some plants a good start:

My dad cut the BIG pvc drain pipe (he would pick up left over sections from new construction sites) to rings about 8-10" tall. We set those around seedlings so the chickens leave alone

We have a stash of antique metal milk crates (the kind that fold flat) that we put over plants and seeds so the chickens cant touch

or cover with chicken wire if they are super determined.

Once the plants are established we pull away those chicken deterrents and let them enjoy the bugs. It is not meant to be a neat border so if they get in there and spread some seeds around it is okay. But it sure looks nice and keeps those chickens busy busy busy.


FYI, ours love passion fruit leaves, but the vine lives on

 

[Carols Clucks]

Quote:
i heard that morning glory is poisonous??? any one know for sure? i would love to plant morning glory along my run because its a fast grower and does well with low water.

if it is poisonous, any ideas on a fast growing vine?? full sun??

From experience, I would shy away from vines on the chicken coop or run, they look nice make for great shade etc............but rats LOVE living in them and you really dont want to invite rats to your chickens.

 

[Naughty]

I was thinking of planting a fruit tree in the middle of my chicken yard - something with berries or something (protecting it until it gets larger of course) so that when all the fruit falls - they get treats. has anyone done this before? Mine already get blackberries in the summer from some vines on my land - thinking something like a mulberry tree...

 

[Rosalinda-84]

My chickens like my Gardenia and Shasta daisies. Has anybody tried a Western Chokeberry? I'm in Southern California and I'm trying to lure insects to my garden. I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[patman75]

They dont touch the holly, russian sage, hydrangea, oak leaf hydrangea, junipers, cedars, sedums, phlox,