Specific greenage in run?

[kmwright]

I see some beautiful photos of coops/runs surrounded with greenery. Are there specific plants that the chickens love? Are there plants that they can't be around that may be poisinous?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Chickens would love sunflowers. Mine also love to eat grape plants and roses. But you said you wanted greenery, not greenery eaten.

Toxic plants: Anything in the tomato family (includes bell peppers and potato plants), oleander, poinsettia, daffodils (but MOST animals won't eat them, but you never know with a chicken) I'm sure there's more, that's just off the top of my head.

 

[turbo13]

Hi. Do You Mean To Say. Tomato Plants,pepper Plants, And Potato Plants Only. Or The Fruits As Well.tomato.peppers ,potato?

 

[tnchickenut]

I know azaleas (spelling?) are poisonous for alot of animals, so I wouldn't risk it with chickens either.

I have burning bushes planted on one side of the coop and natural wild privitte on the other (which they LOVE and can't eat all of it).

If you are wanting to feed them, Sandhill Preservation has Spring brooder mix and Fall brooder mix and all the birds I have go nuts for it. I also have bought clover seeds (intended to be used for deer) and planted that for them too.

Most everything I grow in the garden is for the chickens lol.

BTW, they have sunflowers in a few pens and mine brats won't touch them. I guess each chicken is different. I know I have some that like one thing and others who wouldn't eat it if they had to.

 

[Smoky73]

I grow raspberries next to my coop, I pick them off and throw them over the fence, plants produce a lot so the birds get lots of treats.

 

[kmwright]

Quote:
Oh wow, thanks for that. I JUST planted a tomato plant back there. I'm going to move it in the morning.

I do want greenery for looks and also because mine like to dig in the dirt under bushes for shade. But I would also like to plant things for them to snack on. I have a grape vine in the outer run that they have when we're home, so that's a good start. I'll try the sunflowers, too!

Thanks!!

 

[laughaha]

Chickens love tomatoes and peppers (the hotter the better). I keep the chickens away so they don't peck holes in the fruits, not cuz I'm worried about the chickens health. My chickens have never bothered to try and eat the actual plants but they LOVE the fruit.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Fruits of tomatoes, bell peppers and hot peppers are fine, just not the plants. Chickens cannot taste hot food, so the hot peppers won't affect them in the least. Raw potatoes are toxic so for potatoes don't feed the plants or the potatoes. (cooked potato is fine though, just not raw)

 

[FF]

Quote:
Fruits of tomatoes, bell peppers and hot peppers are fine, just not the plants. Chickens cannot taste hot food, so the hot peppers won't affect them in the least. Raw potatoes are toxic so for potatoes don't feed the plants or the potatoes. (cooked potato is fine though, just not raw)

Did not know that. I give my chickens poatatoes from the garden and they lik ethem.

 

[PhilErvin]

If you have a place in your yard that you could plant a Fig tree your girls will love you. Figs are easy to grow and don't need much attention from you. You will need to line your planting hole with avery wire if you have a mole or gopher problem. Figs are an attractive landescape tree and provide delicious fruit and your girls will keep the ones that fall off cleaned up. I have a recipe for candied figs that makes them even more tasty.