Landscaping a chicken run

[JackAubrey]

Hello the forum! I have a small coop and I have placed it inside a 6' x10' x 10' chain link dog kennel. I have bought welded wire and am enclosing the top, to prevent climb overs, and below, to prevent diggers. I intend to ring the inside with hardware cloth. I would like to plant some bushes/ hedges that will hide/ shade the run. My main concern is that the plants be non toxic. Can anyone give me some advice on what plants to use? Hopefully it will be something the chickens will leave alone as well ! Thanks in advance! Best regards, JA

 

[chicknshrimp]

I would start with something thats already fairly large and established as my chickens tend to uproot and destroy anything that isn't well started. When mine are free ranging they aren't hard on the plants, but in an enclosed run they'll eat whatever they can reach and turn it into a barren wasteland in a period of days. Trees would be good I bet, something they can't reach the leaves on. Good luck!

 

[Sonya9]

If they are kept in the run without access to the outside grass they will eat every shred of green in there. At the very least throw fresh grass clippings in, greenery makes the eggs better.

I would think about planting climbing vines outside the run so they provide shade and can't get eaten through the hardware cloth.

 

[JackAubrey]

Thank you friends, I appreciate the advice!JA

 

[MeeMa Brown]

I have lilac bush and spirea bush both over 5 ft tall and close outside the run and large shade tree on west about 15-20 ft away. I placed filter gravel/sand 5" deep in run with added DE dust and wood ashes to absorb urine (keeps down flies and odor) They scratch away for fun.
I toss vegetable scraps and grass/clover mid day. Have not free ranged yet.
My sis feeds oregano and other herbs to deter mites. She has had good results for many years.

 

[Folly's place]

As an instant fix, add shade cloth over the top of the run. I have both trees and shrubs around my coop and run, for summer shade on the south and west, and evergreens on the north and west for winter winds. Avoid very toxic plants like Japanese yew. Specific plants are location and soil dependent, so it's hard to be more helpful beyond that. Mary