Keeping vegitation in your run.

[ChickityChina]

The main problem I ran into when trying to have plants in, or surrounding a run is not just that the chickens pluck, peck at, or scratch to death anything that is green, but also that their poo burned the heck out of whatever was trying to grow there. Even if I did get something to grow around the run somewhere, the soil became so harsh, that the leaves would turn yellow and the plant died off rather quickly. I once had a couple of huge potted plants around the outside of the corners of the run. Those weren't in the ground, so the soil was unsullied by poo and those plants did just fine. Whatever managed to grow in through the wires made the chickens happy too.

 

[lynnehd]

The main problem I ran into when trying to have plants in, or surrounding a run is not just that the chickens pluck, peck at, or scratch to death anything that is green, but also that their poo burned the heck out of whatever was trying to grow there. Even if I did get something to grow around the run somewhere, the soil became so harsh, that the leaves would turn yellow and the plant died off rather quickly. I once had a couple of huge potted plants around the outside of the corners of the run. Those weren't in the ground, so the soil was unsullied by poo and those plants did just fine. Whatever managed to grow in through the wires made the chickens happy too.

I've planted a Rose of Sharon in mine, with a circle of wire around it, about chicken height. The run also has a lot of mulch in it; pine needles, leaves, that I supplement as needed. The plant is thriving, and my girls certainly know how to poop, but of course, it isn't directly around the base.

 

[40kfevvers]

Never heard of butterfly bushes. W

 

[woolfarm]

If you want to keep a little fresh vegetation in a chicken run - build frames out of 2 x 2 lumber and cover them with 1/2" hardware cloth. Lay these down on top of the grass/weeds and the birds can graze what grows up through the wire but not kill the entire plant down to the roots.

 

[40kfevvers]

Buddleia, or butterfly bushes, grow quite fast and the flowers look a bit like skinny lilac. Butterflies are attracted to them. They can be cut back and will regrow again quite quickly. They grow on very poor soil too.