Landscape plants

[beachhen]

I have had my two chickens for six months and have been landscaping my backyard at the same time. Does anyone have any suggestions for groundcovers and plants that the chickens won't eat?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I wouldn't put hosta on that list.

 

[silkiechicken]

Rocks? Oops, they eat the small ones of those too for grit.


Honestly, if you want a new landscape to get established and growing, you'll have to fence in either the plants or chickens. What they don't eat they'll probably dig up.

 

[Mom 2em All]

I put in evergreen shrubbery things.
They havent touched them. However, I do not know if that is because they have been too busy demolishing my lilac bush and rose bushes...and hostas...to even try the evergreens yet. Oh, yeah, and also all the leaves off the trumpet vine, morning glories, and honeysuckle that they can reach....

 

[chickflick]

I've got cone flowers growing, joe pye weed, roses, lilies, sedum, peony, poppies... and many more. Hostas are all gone

 

[Miltonchix]

Mine haven't touched my new/small citrus trees. I put the red colored bark/mulch down around my plants with fairly good success. They will still scratch in it but they haven't (YET) damaged the plants. They won't go near the marigolds.

 

[rooster0209]

oh great, thanks ya'll now I have my plants to worry about.

 

[Chicabee19]

I was just about to ask about Honeysuckle!

I was thinking to completely cover the chain-link fence in the yard for more privacy.

Wondering if the chickens would eat it all up, or just keep it trimmed for me?

I plan to get 3 or 4 hens and only free-range them a few hours per day outside their run.

 

[Katy]

I think honeysuckle is on the list of potentially harmful to them. Somewhere on here there's a list of harmful plants.

 

[Mom 2em All]

honeysuckle? Really- and yuck. I have had it growing all summer, trying to cover this fence. Tomorrow, I will go out and double check but I do believe they removed all the lower leaves only.
And thank goodness, they have been fine. Now I have to go check and see what part is dangerous for them.