Need advice for the best vines and plants for in a chicken run!

[Seaslug]

In general, I agree that it is difficult to get things to grow in a run, especially if you want them to.
I cut two-three inch diameter limbs off of a black willow and used them as horizontal uprights for my hens' run roost bars. The area of our run is somewhat damp, like our area in general, and those branches, despite sitting in the open for weeks before placement, apparently rooted. Those branches have leafed out each of the past three years. The girls eat the leaves that they can get to, but against ALL odds (including having absolutely no roots to begin with), those willows continue to live inside the run. We will be trimming them this summer!

 

[Nelsjude]

An allergy is very different from "this food causes kidney damage in this animal (in x amounts)"
I tried to look up what you said earlier about fox terriers being able to eat grapes before replying, and literally nothing came up no matter how I changed the wording.

Whatever "list" he has... is questionable when there's no way to back it up with facts.

This will come across as me targeting a vet you trust, I'm aware of that.

But this is very concerning to put on the internet as "fact"...

Yes! Please look up the potential long-term damage to dogs that can be caused by feeding grapes, raisins, etc. We had to eliminate our grapevines that were fenced away from our dogs because the birds kept dropping the grapes where the dogs could get them. I'm not willing to take a chance on making our pets ill if I can help it. I also don't give them chocolate. From what I have researched it is the dark baking chocolate that causes the most damage. Milk chocolate may possibly just give them diarrhea depending on the quantity eaten. Our dogs vary in size from 7 to 22 pounds. We recently lost our 17 year old pup to old age and declining kidneys. I want them all to live just as long!

 

[Ralph_Mueller]

I forgot to add, I don't know if this matters but my soil is very rocky and a bit clay-like.

if you can, try to incorporate more organic matter into your soil like compost. While not a vine, maybe something like Pigeon Peas? They are prolific and good for improving soil quality and the crop it produces would be a great snack for your birds.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

if you can, try to incorporate more organic matter into your soil like compost. While not a vine, maybe something like Pigeon Peas? They are prolific and good for improving soil quality and the crop it produces would be a great snack for your birds.

I do keep a running compost, so I will look into that. Thanks!

 

[Sono]

Update on my mint plants... A lady had a complete yard full of it and was giving it away free. I went down and dug up tons of it ( filled the back of my suv with them. Got home and transplanted around the garden and around my home foundation ( as my last house the mint spread along the house very nicely ) well, no matter what I did it all started dying ???? turned brown, dried out and gone... I was sad. Well this year I was cutting the grass after they replaced my entire Septic system and I started smelling Mint ??? I got off the rider and sure enough the mint has sprouted, not all that I planted but a few bunches have sprouted up this year so I really hope it takes and spreads like wildfire !!!!!
And I added fertilizer before this rain hits

 

[Ralph_Mueller]

Update on my mint plants... A lady had a complete yard full of it and was giving it away free. I went down and dug up tons of it ( filled the back of my suv with them. Got home and transplanted around the garden and around my home foundation ( as my last house the mint spread along the house very nicely ) well, no matter what I did it all started dying ???? turned brown, dried out and gone... I was sad. Well this year I was cutting the grass after they replaced my entire Septic system and I started smelling Mint ??? I got off the rider and sure enough the mint has sprouted, not all that I planted but a few bunches have sprouted up this year so I really hope it takes and spreads like wildfire !!!!!
And I added fertilizer before this rain hits

I might be careful about this, the smell of mint when you cut is nice but, the problem with plants like mint it that over time and proliferation, the stems become rigid and can be very uncomfortable to walk across in mass. Also there is problems with it invading other peoples property and the civil issues that can come with that sort of thing.

 

[Sono]

I might be careful about this, the smell of mint when you cut is nice but, the problem with plants like mint it that over time and proliferation, the stems become rigid and can be very uncomfortable to walk across in mass. Also there is problems with it invading other peoples property and the civil issues that can come with that sort of thing.

Mint is basically everywhere and here on 6 acres not a concern, keeps skeeters away too. I dont mind it growing around the house or anywhere in the yard for that very reason and smells nice when you mow. Civil issue on plants growing or creeping onto another property LOL Maybe with Bamboo. Unless you deliberately do something illegal or malicious to do damage or cause harm , an example would be Zosia or Burmuda grass, it will spread and take over any lawn by choking out other grasses... you plant it to get a nice golf course of a yard but then it takes over the neighbors yard too... nothing anyone can do about it but eventually the whole neighborhood will have a beautiful weed free yard ( happened with my parents house in the city )
Back to mints, they get mowed down every year when they go dormant ( after collecting the seeds to sow elsewhere ) so they never get thick or rigid stalks unless you just let them go wild like in some woodlands or something. basically they are a beautiful fragrant bush once established.