Planting around my run

Belle, first of all...

I think chickens will eat most any plant you consider pleasing to your eye, or that you like to eat! I don't believe there is much that is poisonous to them. I have planted cosmos, ornamental grasses and sunflowers next to my runs. The grass provides shade, the cosmos is pretty and hides the run a bit and the sunflowers provide bird food (wild birds and chickens). My only word of caution is that if you have an electric fences, (and if you don't have one now, you may want one later to discourage predators), make sure your plantings are far enough away so that they don't short out the fence. Lot's of people combine gardens, both edible and flowers with chickens, so let your imagination go!

Also, if you have Japanese beetles in your area, those that are attracted to flowers near your run, just may become a chicken snack!

Hope you enjoy both your chickens and gardening.

 

I read that vinca and ivy are poisonous. They won't eat it if they free range, but if they are bored in the run?

Herbs are fine and spread really well. How about some oregano and sage? It might make your eggs spicey!

 

I know that my chickens love clover. They will eat pretty much whatever they can get to from inside their coop!

 

What planting zone? Up here Virginia Creeper works well without being invasive.

 

I did some research online, and found this information at PoultryHelp.com (data from the Veterinary Medicine Library, University of Illinois). Obviously there are a lot more common plants than most people think that chickens could be poisoned by.

Plants Toxic to Poultry - by Common Names

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
American Coffee Berry Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis L.)
Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis L.)
Bull Nettle (Solanum carolinense L.)
Bracken or Brake Fern (Pteridium aquilinum L.)
Burning Bush see Fireweed
Buttercup (Ranunculus spp.)
Carelessweed see Pigweed
Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L.)
Clover, Alsike & Other Clovers (Trifolium hybridum L. & other species)
Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.)
Creeping Charlie see Ground Ivy
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
Curly Dock (Rumex crispus L.)
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
Delphinium (Delphinium spp.)
Devil's Trumpet see Jimson Weed
Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)
Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh.)
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis L.)
English Ivy (Hedera helix L.)
Ergot (Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul.)
Fern, Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum L.)
Fireweed (Kochia scoparia L.)
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.)
Ground Ivy (Glecoma hederacea L.)
Hemlock
Poison (Conium maculatum L.)
Water (Cicuta maculata L.)
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)
Horse Chestnut, Buckeyes (Aesculus hippocastanum L.)
Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense L.)
Horsetails (Equisetum arvense L. & other species)
Hyacinth (Hyacinth orientalis)
Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
Ivy
English (Hedera helix L.)
Ground (Glecoma hederacea L.)
Poison (Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze)
Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema spp.)
Jamestown Weed see Jimson Weed
Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata Sieb. & Zucc.)
Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum L.)
Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium L.)
Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioica (L.) K. Koch)
Kentucky Mahagony Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
Klamath Weed see St. Johnswort
Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album L.)
Lantana (Lantana camara L.)
Larkspur (Delphinium spp.)
Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Lupine (Lupinus spp.)
Mad Apple see Jimson Weed
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum L.)
Milkweed, Common (Asclepias syriaca L.)
Mint, Purple (Perilla frutescens)
Nicker Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
Nightshade (Solanum spp.)
Oleander (Nerium oleander L.)
Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra Willd.)
Philodendron (Philodendron spp.)
Pigweed (Amaranthus spp.)
Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum L.)
Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze)
Poke (Phytolacca americana L.)
Purple Mint (Perilla frutescens)
Redroot see Pigweed
Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)
Rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum L.)
Squirrelcorn (Dicentra canadensis (Goldie) Walp.) see Dutchman's Breeches
Staggerweed (Dicentra spp.) see Dutchman's Breeches
St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum L.)
Stink Weed see Jimson Weed
Stump Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
Sudan Grass (Sorghum vulgare var. sudanense Hitchc.)
Summer Cypress see Fireweed
Thorn Apple see Jimson Weed
Tulip (Tulipa spp.)
Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata L.)
White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum Hout.)
Wild Onion (Allium spp.)
Yellow Sage see Lantana

(data from the Veterinary Medicine Library, University of Illinois, 2/5/2001)

 

I'm surprised to see Lamb's Quarters on a poisonous list with decidedly deadly plants like Hemlock. Lamb's Quarters is definitely edible, but consuming too much of it is toxic (like rhubarb).

I planted sunflowers along the fence of the chicken coop too. Grew quickly and looked very charming. I think Hyssop would be nice too. It smells good, doesn't need a lot of attention and brings in the bees!

 

Medicago Sativa is the alfalfa that is a forage crop it is NOT harmful to chickens or geese cuz mine get fresh alfalfa almost daily and they LOVE it. They also clean up what the rabbits dump out of their dish daily(rabbit pellets = alfalfa pellets) REALLY confused by this one.

Redroot isn't poisonous BEFORE it flowers (at least not to bunnies who I feed it to in the spring)..

Hemp is used as a livestock feed in other countries and I REALLY wish we could grow it here for this purpose.

I have to protect my mint from my chickens

clover is fine in moderation (mine LOVE it) and it's the oxalic acid that is TECHNICALLY poisonous but they would have to eat ALOT for it to be bad for them.

My St. Johns Wort bush is almost picked bare and no chickens are dying (yet grrrrr)

Lamb's Quarters is yummy for both me and my bunnies..... Don't know if the chickens eat it or not

I grow amaranth as a feed for both chickens (seeds) and rabbits (plants).

I make Elderberry Syrup every year for medicinal purposes for both me and my critters- the plant itself is technically poisonous but cooking the berries kills the toxin. Most oldtimers in PA tell me that it's not that that they grew up eating the fresh berries every year- it's native in PA and EVERYWHERE.


Some of these plants are fine in moderation and are herbal remedies. Weird list..........

 

I went a little vine crazy....like that stupid rich girl in Willy Wonka... (I want it all... and I want it now!!!) Was it Bianca? Anywoo, The honeysuckle that was supposed to go by the coop, hasn't yet, because now that it's all said and done, I don't think it's sunny enough in my location for it (location of the coop, that is). I have planted a Silver Vein Virginia creeper which is supposed to be beautiful in the fall and more intensely colored in the shade. I also went with a 5-leaf Akebia which has grown seriously, a foot a week. That makes me happy. Instant coverage I want. (I'm talking like Yoda...weird). My Passion Vine has also been quite vigorous and a little tricky (in the sneaky sense). ALL.........super easy to grow. Bianca + Yoda = ?