Planting Sade Shade Trees and Bushes

[Brown Chick]

I will have to plant something to give the girls shade n the covered yard. What trees or bushes do you think are not toxic and may double as a food source? Zone 8.

 

[DobieLover]

I will have to plant something to give the girls shade n the covered yard. What trees or bushes do you think are not toxic and may double as a food source? Zone 8.

Not sure but a shade cloth is instant shade until something gets established.

 

[3KillerBs]

It's very difficult to plant things inside a chicken enclosure because the chickens will eagerly destroy any bit of green they can get their beaks on and dig up anything they don't eat.

What about trellising a vine outside the run?

I'm planning on wall of sunflowers on the sunny side of my new coop.

 

[Kirkwooder]

Raspberries, blue berries, currents, Logan berries, apples, pears, cherries, are all gobbled up by my birds. Also, a tall grain, like corn would work if you can keep the birds out of it when it's young.

The raspberry also protects from predators.

 

[perkolator]

There is a hedge of bay laurel in my run, that was there before we moved in. My chickens don’t seem to touch it at all. My understanding is bay is a good natural insecticide that will help keep stuff like mites away. It’s evergreen, gives shade, and bay leaves to cook or decorate with.

anything intentionally planted in a chicken area I’d assume will have to be caged until it’s big enough to withstand the abuse

 

[Brown Chick]

There is a hedge of bay laurel in my run, that was there before we moved in. My chickens don’t seem to touch it at all. My understanding is bay is a good natural insecticide that will help keep stuff like mites away. It’s evergreen, gives shade, and bay leaves to cook or decorate with.

anything intentionally planted in a chicken area I’d assume will have to be caged until it’s big enough to withstand the abuse

 

[Brown Chick]

I do love a bay leaf tree. There are so many uses for those.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

Grapevines, protected by a column of hardware cloth for the first three seasons until a trunk is established. Super vigorous varieties (Concord) that you can zip tie along (not through) a fence. Or train up on cattle panels to provide shade like a tree. Just pinch their growing tips through out the season. Chop and drop where the chickens can eat. Their leaves are a great alternative when grasses are not available. They can eat the fruit too including the seeds. ***Do not allow dogs to eat grapes*** You may have to teach the chicks to eat the leaves. Cut the leftover dead branches to make mulch. It’s super simple.
***Edited to add the table grape varieties I grow, because I remember stuff after I hit “post” button
Concord -seeded
Thompson Seedless
Thomcord -seedless
Muscat of Alexandria -seeded
Ruby Seedless
Autumn Royal
Roger’s Red native

 

[Aunt Tat]

Right now I have 2 claret vines growing on our shed where our future coop/run will be located.
I've looked up Claret Vine (it DOES bear fruit and has drop-dead gorgeous colors in the fall) So I was planning on digging them up and heeling them in somewhere while we move the shed and put up the coop/run.

So if it's CLASSIFIED as a grape, it should be safe for the chickens, right?
I'll also be adding Sunflowers, and I'm thinking some blueberries.

AND...while I'm here....
Is the recommendation to face coops south due to the position of the sun in winter? We get a lot of storms from the S.W., so I was trying to think of a way to shield that side.

Thankewverymuch

 

[3KillerBs]

Is the recommendation to face coops south due to the position of the sun in winter? We get a lot of storms from the S.W., so I was trying to think of a way to shield that side.

You can orient the coop any way that seems convenient to you.

Turning it's most sheltered side to the direction of the winter winds is a good idea.