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Specific plants that hens don't like????..... list attached

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SeaChick

SeaChick

Songster
12 Years
Apr 25, 2007
1,660
10
206
Southern Maine
Hi-
I know that there's been some discussion of this. But I need to find some plants for our problem area in the garden, which also happens to be the area the girls free range in. It's dry shade/part shade (under maples which steal all the water)..... and until recently filled with Hostas. Yeah, the hostas are pretty well history by now! So next spring I want to plant something else. Here's a list of possibilities, below. Can anyone confirm whether their hens eat (or avoid) any of these?

Alchemilla - Lady's Mantle
Brunnera - Perennial Forget-Me-Not
Epimedium - Bishop's Hat
Panicum - Switch Grass
Heuchera - Alum Root, Coral Bells
Lamiastrum - Yellow Archangel
Lamium - Spotted Nettle
Liriope Spicata - Creeping Liriope
Podophyllum - May Apple
Pulmonaria - Lungwort, Bethlehem Sage

Shrubs:
Comptonia - Sweetfern
Cotoneaster
Witchhazel
Symphoricarpos - Snowberry (or Amethyst Coralberry)
Viburnum carlessi - Koreanspice or Mayflower Viburnum
Viburnum lantana 'Mohican'
Viburnum plicatum 'Shasta'

Thank you!
Stacey
 
My girls won't touch the lemon balm in their run, they also avoid the autumn sage (Salvia greggii). I think they would avoid mints, alliums and things like bee balm (Monarda). Mine don't seem to like anything with a strong odor. Some of the alliums are very pretty, and so are sages. I might try pentas too, I don't have any near my chickens because my backyard is too shady. My pigeon berry is berry free, guess the girls like that.

Just looked at where you were, autumn sage might not grow in your area, but the mints, alliums and bee balm would. I wonder if they would leave lily-of-the-valley alone?
 
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Hi Mom'sfolly-

I can tell you that they don't leave lily of the valley alone! I just watched them eat some yesterday
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Thanks for the suggestions. I think though (maybe I am wrong) that all those need more sun than I have. Before the trees leaf in it gets about 6 hours, but most of the summer only an hour or a tiny bit more of direct sun (shaded by those maples). That's why the area has been filled with bleeding hearts and hostas until the chickens arrived! Not even nepeta survives there.

Stacey
 
Tundrachick-

Oh, dear. They've eaten some, I watched them! Wouldn't you think they'd have some idea what NOT to eat? Do you think I need worry about this?

Stacey
 
Mine haven't eaten my ferns...yet. I have shade too, but here in Texas our plants are just too different. Some of the mints might do okay in shade, especially if their feet are wet. Mine chickens shred the flowers off sweet william, but haven't really eaten it.
 
The girls have eaten my poor hosta down to nothing, but have not touched my astilbe, in case that would work for you, as it also does well in a shaded area.

My Korean spice viburnum is quite large, so they couldn't do much to it and they don't care for that area of the yard much, anyway. I'm not sure if they are not eating it because it's not tasty, or because it's not convenient. I have to say, though, that it has the most fabulously scented flowers in the spring! I was at a public garden one spring that had one blooming and I just had to find one after that.
 
Mine have not touched the lavender, rosemary, or sage. They have eaten the basil, oregano, and thyme. My spider plant has survived them, as have anything large enough that they can peck at the bottom stuff and not endanger the plant. The impatients and austramaria (didn't spell that right) seem to be a favorite snack for both chicken and deer.
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