Just planted some greenery in my coop area

[Jaime84]

Hey guys!

Just planted some greenery in my coop area to try create a cooler area during the summer months for shade. Wondering what would be safe to surround the plants in terms of mulch knowing that the chickens will scratch around in there. In order to keep the plants hydrated in the hot and dry climate. Look forward to your advice

 

[feliciadawn]

Dried fallen leaves work well. But keep in mind -- if your greenery is smaller than 3 feet high, the chickens will probably trample it before it becomes established. I gave my chickens about 1/3 of my woodland backyard as a run -- maybe 900 square feet. It contained about 10 trees, perhaps 20 shrubs (including berry bushes) and innumerable shade-loving perennial plants. After 3 months, most of the perennial (including hard to kill daylilies) are gone (they may return next year, who knows). The shrubs and trees are all fine, except one smaller rhododendron has bite marks out of it. The entire run area is covered in leaves and sticks, as befits a woodland ecosystem.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are the plants IN the run? How big are they? Fencing them off, and maybe putting stones around the base of them, that's probably the only way to keep them from getting wrecked by chickens until they're bigger and well established.

 

[feliciadawn]

My Ameraucana and Copper Marans in the woodland home.

 

[Chicalina]

Hey guys!

Just planted some greenery in my coop area

My first response was hahahahaha! That won't last 5 minutes!

Sorry. But seriously, unless it is an established tree or large shrub at least 4 feet tall (or netted for protection) then it won't stand a chance at surviving, let alone growing and providing shade. Chickens are like locusts with added digging power!

My advice would be to build a strong net cage around it and mulch inside the cage around the roots with large stones so they can't dig it out from the bottom and it will reduce water evaporation too.

 

[aart]

Hey guys!

Just planted some greenery in my coop area to try create a cooler area during the summer months for shade. Wondering what would be safe to surround the plants in terms of mulch knowing that the chickens will scratch around in there. In order to keep the plants hydrated in the hot and dry climate. Look forward to your advice

What did you plant?
Near the coop or in a run.... or....?
Pics would help here.

...also...
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[IamRainey]

I'm with everyone else.

My chickens have reduce 2 large well-established woody lavender shrubs to half a dozen bare twigs each. I had vines covering the chain link that surrounds their yard. The vines are there but they're all dead because they severed them from the roots.

You want a shady area for them but anything that isn't a well-established tree isn't likely to make it. Save yourself $$ and frustration.

I keep my chickens in their denuded yard and forage for them with stuff I take out of the garden and throw over their fence. I hope they're happy enough that way. I know I'm happier not letting them do to my yard what they did to theirs!