Plants for my chickens

[JmeV]

I hope everyone is doing well!

My husband and I built a new, safer run for my birds. Their old run was a little vulnerable, but it had lots of greenery for them. The new one is better, but there are no plants. What plants can I buy for them that are safe but they won't eat? I really don't know much about plants. My new run is between my house and shed, with the back closed up (but I have a door to flip up for them to look out). I would have to get potted plants because the soil isn't very good there. I'll include photos of the run so you can see what I'm working with.

 

[black_cat]

I"m sorry to say that they will demolish any plants that are safe for them that aren't already well rooted in the ground, like bushes, shrubs, or trees.

 

[CluckerFamily]

They will eat a lot of plants. Mine love hostas and I have a ton of hostas. They tend to only eat the hostas that have the white border on the leaves. They don’t eat any of the other hostas.

 

[aart]

Gonna be hard to grow stuff with so little direct sun.
..and chickens will dig up everything.
They don't really need greenery....but you could try some grazing frames:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

 

[21hens-incharge]

What mine don't eat they dig up.

Look at The grazing frames link aart posted. Make them so you can bring them in and remove them for sunlight and regrowth. That would mean putting a bottom on them.....and maybe handles.

 

[JmeV]

I"m sorry to say that they will demolish any plants that are safe for them that aren't already well rooted in the ground, like bushes, shrubs, or trees.

Dang it. I was trying to give them something green to hide in. Oh well, they're gonna get all kinds of fun stuff as I work in there.

 

[JmeV]

What mine don't eat they dig up.

Look at The grazing frames link aart posted. Make them so you can bring them in and remove them for sunlight and regrowth. That would mean putting a bottom on them.....and maybe handles.

Oh yeah that's a great idea!

 

[JmeV]

They will eat a lot of plants. Mine love hostas and I have a ton of hostas. They tend to only eat the hostas that have the white border on the leaves. They don’t eat any of the other hostas.

Okay, I will look into some of those

 

[JmeV]

Gonna be hard to grow stuff with so little direct sun.
..and chickens will dig up everything.
They don't really need greenery....but you could try some grazing frames:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

Awesome, I will check that out! I may be just giving them human characteristics here, but I keep thinking that they miss their plants

 

[cherrynberry]

If you want them just to make the run looks nicer, you could plant marigolds in a floating box outside of the run. Marigolds are good for them to eat and help their egg yolks become more orange