Planting Vegies in the run?

[Kassaundra]

I am going to try okra, found some that stated height is 10 feet, and it loves our hot summers and will be biggest during the very hot time they need shade the most. I did not do that this year, but plan on it this upcoming growing season.

darkmatter, love your shade solution, may have to try it too.

 

[Chickangel79]

Trust me they can get through pumpkin !!! Mine were destroyed as were cabbages, and cauliflower , beets , sprouts and tomatoes. The only thing they ignored was dwarf beans.

 

[Chickangel79]

Quote:
Lettuce will be totally destroyed in seconds.

 

[Kassaundra]

I think anything planted in the run at the same time the chickens are in the run needs to be protected until it is large enough they can't or won't destroy it.

 

[chickenfaerie]

I hope I don't hi-jack your thread but I have a similar question

I'm near Portland OR. I'll be building my coop this winter (wish me luck!) and getting my (Easter Egger?) chickens in the spring. I really wanna get pullets for my first time around so they will be going straight into the coop. What are some edible for them and maybe me plants that I can perhaps plant and establish both in and/or around the coop that the may enjoy but not kill? Shade isn't terribly important we only have 2 hot months and with the coop and access to free range they will be covered. Pun intended

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:
This is the picture I was thinking of. I was just telling my husband about it yesterday. I see the wire around the base so the plant can grow...is it pumpkin? Would have to be something that would climb well.

I have always let my chickens free range but now I'm breeding Polish so had to build them their own coop and run and while the run is pretty good size and their coop is a hen house, I still feel bad that they don't get to free range...I was thinking that planting something for them to destroy would entertain them, and ease my guilt.....

 

[gale65]

I'm going to go the salad bar route. I'm making a square thing with landscape timbers and will put hardware cloth on it. Then I can plant things below the hardware cloth and as it grows through the holes, they can eat it, but the roots will be protected. Hopefully this will work. At this point we're just planning on putting down grass and wheat but in the spring/summer I may throw some other seed in there. It'll have to be something that is small enough to grow through the 1/2" holes. I'm also hoping to plant grapevine on the outside of the run so that it will climb to the top.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
I am in Portland in the NE . If your interested in talking PM me and we can talk. I have lots of ideas for you.

 

[swamy]

I picked up a small bag of food plot seed for turkey and deer. It containes a few different kinds of clover, chicory, and brassica. With my 4 pens on a 10 day rotation, I will have 30 days to grow the plants in each area. Hopefully it will provide some nutritional greens and attract a good number of insects.

 

[Dudu]

Quote:
That's the very things that ours LOVE the most!!! I have to agree, this would be gone in seconds, at least in our yard..

But this is a great topic and I'll be checking back to see the solutions and experiences!