Shade loving plants for chicken run

[PhillyDelcoChix]

Hello BYC friends
Because of our recent issues with hawks and foxes in our area and a loss, we’ve moved our hens into their large run full time.
It’s in a shady part in the back of our yard, mainly to keep them comfortable in the summer where it gets humid and into the high 90s, 100s every summer sometimes lasting until October.
So- I’m attempting to plant some things for my hens to enjoy eating as well as attracting insects that my girls can also eat.
Are there shade loving plants that my girls will enjoy?

 

[Timmy59]

You might give elderberry a thought..
Cuttings are easy to root and can be found on etsy or e bay..

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hmmm. Problem is, if the chickens eat the plants, pretty soon they won't have any shade, I'm thinking.

A wild grape "volunteered" itself in our run. It provides a nice amount of shade. Also, we planted a batch of lilies in the middle of the run. Every spring they pop up and provide a cool little jungle in the middle of their run. They love to huddle in the midst of it and scratch for bugs, but they don't nibble the leaves at all, ever. (They're toxic, but the birds instictively seem to know that.)

 

[NatJ]

I think lettuce can do OK in the shade. Also any of the other garden plants where people eat the leaves. (But none of those will last long with the chickens eating them.)

Some kinds of grass are said to grow well even in shady spots.

 

[Folly's place]

Fruiting shrubs and dwarf fruit trees? Native plants are great, here we like viburnums, and there are so many types. You will need to plant bigger shrubs, not tiny starts, and plan to surround them with stones to keep the birds from digging them up! Grape vines are super, as long as you have really strong supports for them, and do the annual pruning.
Inside an outdoor run I'd avoid any toxic plants, because the birds won't be free ranging, and are more likely to eat things that they'd avoid if free ranging.
Mary

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

You might give elderberry a thought..
Cuttings are easy to root and can be found on etsy or e bay..

Good idea! Thanks, I’ll give it a look.

 

[Folly's place]

Elderberries grow wild all over around here, especially in damper areas, along roadside ditches, and on our property. Unless you want a special cultivar, look around first.
Mary

 

[Anime2lover]

Hmmm. Problem is, if the chickens eat the plants, pretty soon they won't have any shade, I'm thinking.

A wild grape "volunteered" itself in our run. It provides a nice amount of shade. Also, we planted a batch of lilies in the middle of the run. Every spring they pop up and provide a cool little jungle in the middle of their run. They love to huddle in the midst of it and scratch for bugs, but they don't nibble the leaves at all, ever. (They're toxic, but the birds instictively seem to know that.)

We have a yellow flowering bush that grows along our run for shade. Plant it along the outside of the fence and your chickens will be able to munch on it without destroying it and still get the shade since it's a vining bush. For bugs, one of the best attractants is logs. Our chickens love the logs we put in for them because of all the bugs.

 

[Anime2lover]

It is called a percithia

 

[21hens-incharge]

Maybe mobile planted trays....
Grazing frames come to mind but full shade is hard for plants to grow in.

How big is the run?
Any areas that get partial shade?

Pics could really help.