planters in run

[Rushdoggie]

So my chicken area has bushs on one end and a big tree on the other and its wide open in the middle. I'd like to plant something sort of bushy and large but not huge in the open space to add some more cover from wandering hawk eyes and to add a bit more shade. I was wondering if anyone had tried planting plants in large planters (like stock tanks) with some wire flared out to keep the chickens out allowing the plants in question to fluff out and over?

 

[tacothechicken]

IDK If you want an actual bush or flowering plant but Japanese maples are amazing hideaways from Arial eyes and they act as a little igloo so the bird can also stay cool and thoroughly shaded. Wild quail love to nest under the one in our front yard during summer when it's grown down to the floor

 

[tacothechicken]

They also dont have bright flowers that will drop for in piles come winter aka frigging rhodedendron so it's not displeasing to the eye or hard to clean up/care for

 

[lazy gardener]

Rather than plant in a container, I'd plant directly in the ground with fencing over the soil, or around the plants to keep the birds out of them. How big is the run? How tall? Is it covered? I would aim for plants that are good climbers or bushy, where the whole plant is determined to be edible. Peas would make good early crops, cucumbers, ? pole beans, ? zucchini, nasturtium, calendula, marigold, any of the mints are great for repelling insects and supposedly rodents. Do a mixed planting with lettuce or kale, and a taller plant as well.

 

[Rushdoggie]

Rather than plant in a container, I'd plant directly in the ground with fencing over the soil, or around the plants to keep the birds out of them. How big is the run? How tall? Is it covered? I would aim for plants that are good climbers or bushy, where the whole plant is determined to be edible. Peas would make good early crops, cucumbers, ? pole beans, ? zucchini, nasturtium, calendula, marigold, any of the mints are great for repelling insects and supposedly rodents. Do a mixed planting with lettuce or kale, and a taller plant as well.

Yeah, the issue is 1. the ground is not the greatest for plating right where I want it (shallow tree roots, etc) and 2. my vision had them in a planter that was raised on feet so the area underneath could be accessed by the birds.

 

[lazy gardener]

You will spend a LOT of time watering those plants. If that's ok by you, then go for it. You might consider raising a pallet on 2' legs to give them a multi height area. You could put your planters on top of that.