Ideas for bushes around run?

[Our Roost]

Well, our coop is in Manistee Michigan and we have 3 small bushes planted within the run area. Yes you heard right, inside the run area! They are boxed off with railroad timbers and 2' high picket fence. The shrubs are about the same height. Very decorative but the girls wont and dont eat them. At first the ladies pecked at them but after a while they ignored them and found them inedible for some reason or another. Cant remember the name but the foilage is peas shaped and always green. They add a bit of color to the bare and stripped ground within the run.

 

[ardagh23]

Hello,

I'm new to chickens and am in the process of building a run. First step is the clearing out all the weeds. I was thinking about adding a few bushes inside the run. After reading this thread it appears that blackberry and blueberry bushes would be fine for the chickens, right? Also are there any evergreen bushes that I could add inside or around the run?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Our Roost]

I find that bush planting is best done outside and along the run fence area. The chickens manage to peck through the fencing to strip the bushes of their goodies and edibles. Anything like blackberry or blueberry need time to recover after being fed on. Don't worry about the weeds as the chickens will have the run area barren in about 3 to 4 weeks! A few decorative bushes inside are nice as long as you enclose them and protect them. There was an article on here related to what chickens shy away from as far as plants. I remember reading it before I planted. Good luck!