Plants (in and around run)

[ladyhand]

Do you plant certain plants in your run?

what about trellising or climbing plants, do you let them grow up your run fencing?

 

[Boise-girls]

I'm curious about that, too. I have a lot of Virginia creeper that would love to cover my run - and pretty much anything else!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I have sedum that is taking over a lot of my flowers as well as other stuff that would be nice to plant either in run or on outside of the run so they can get to it when it grows close to the fencing.
I saw another post similar yesterday about pole beans near the run. I'll see if I can locate it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-a-trellis-for-climbing-food-plants.1466868/

 

[AOrchard]

I have planted sunflowers, cucumbers and tomatoes in a raised bed inside the run (with the intent of the chickens getting the produce). I've got climbing roses planted with some root protection. Also two narrow raised flower boxes with violas and pansies, which they leave alone. I've also had pumpkins and wild grape grow up the fencing. It all makes it more homey and enjoyable for me to be in there, and I imagine they like the more natural feeling. The plants also attract bugs, which they definitely like to eat.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I have planted sunflowers, cucumbers and tomatoes in a raised bed inside the run (with the intent of the chickens getting the produce). I've got climbing roses planted with some root protection. Also two narrow raised flower boxes with violas and pansies, which they leave alone. I've also had pumpkins and wild grape grow up the fencing. It all makes it more homey and enjoyable for me to be in there, and I imagine they like the more natural feeling. The plants also attract bugs, which they definitely like to eat.

Awesome sounds amazing! Do u have any pics?

 

[AOrchard]

This is the best I could find. This was pretty soon after I put it up, it didn't stay quite this grassy for long. You can sort of see the aviary net over the top in the top corner of the photo. There's two flower boxes on the pole holding up the netting. The trellis in the back is shared between the chickens and the cucumbers/pumpkins. I currently don't have pictures of the beds, but I basically made a wooden raised vegetable bed, and then arced 2x4 welded wire over the top, so I can reach in and reach the dirt to plant, but the chickens cannot reach in very far.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

This is the best I could find. This was pretty soon after I put it up, it didn't stay quite this grassy for long. You can sort of see the aviary net over the top in the top corner of the photo. There's two flower boxes on the pole holding up the netting. The trellis in the back is shared between the chickens and the cucumbers/pumpkins. I currently don't have pictures of the beds, but I basically made a wooden raised vegetable bed, and then arced 2x4 welded wire over the top, so I can reach in and reach the dirt to plant, but the chickens cannot reach in very far.

This is awesome! I'm praying I can convince my husband to move our 5wk chicks over like 20 feet...didn't think of ventilation and other concerns like I should have before getting them and trying to use a rinky dink coop (as it was called on BYC).
Underneath the deck is totally wasted space and empty since our rottie passed away!

 

[3KillerBs]

I simply assume that anything I try to plant actually within the chicken run will be destroyed promptly.

I will probably do some plantings around the Chicken Palace once it's complete, but DH will certainly forbid to grow anything directly on the structure because that's a good way to damage said structure.

 

[Acre4Me]

We have planted gourds on the south side of the run fencing (on the outside of the fence). They grow up the fence snd provide cool shade. We get gourds in the fall.

early September last year..outside the run.

Same day, pic from inside the run.

the “Large bottle gourd”. From Burpee grew fast and large. But we also had Luffa gourd (also a Burpee seed) that grew well. This year I am trying those same 2 and 3 other ones.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I finally remembered I have photos of peas on the back of my run, they're grown in a small raised 4x4 bed. Not nearly as impressive or long lasting as a wall of luffa. The chickens can eat whatever leaves they can reach and I shuck excess peas and chuck them into the run to snack on.