Suggestions for sowing/planting in my chicken run?

[lcahill]

When I built my run attached to my coop, I built it around my compost pile. Since then I have relocated my compost to accommodate the growth of my flock. My question is: What can I sow/plant in my run area that will withstand chickens foraging? I cannot free range my birds and I was looking to prevent a "mudpit" of a run. Anyone ever do something along these lines? My run is approximately 400 sq feet. I was hoping to plant something that grew quickly and thick enough to withstand foraging and trampling fairly well. Currently the run has about 35-40 % grass coverage and the chickens keep that pretty much at bay.

 

[pixie74943]

I'm looking at trying a similar thing. I'm planning on building little safe cages and planting in them, but I don't know what would thrive in the nitrogen heavy soil. Hopefully I can take advantage of it and get some vegies out of there and keep the soil from being terrible.

Some things I currently do for plant growth. I have old bun crates, flipped upside down. Grass grows under them and whatever pokes through the chickens can eat, without actually killing it entirely.

I have a transplanted palm thing.

a few fern like things, they're really tough and kind of woody. The chickens prune back the new growth, but dont kill the base plant.

And some mini-tree thing, the eat the lower leaves. Since it's only a metre high I have to protect it, but its going well.

Everything I have is transplanted because it wasnt going well elsewhere. Look at really sturdy plants that they could only eat the new green growth, make sure they are grown and established before putting them in the run and when you transplant put some pavers around that base so they cant dig it up straight away.

 

[Hokum Coco]

If your chickens are any thing like mine I would suggest metal wooden or heavy vinyl plants.

 

[joan1708]

My chickens leave the olive and bay tree alone, although I don't know if they will grow in your area. They also leave the asparagus, apple tree, pomegranate tree and penstemmon alone. I have the asparagus fence off so they cant, trample or poop in it (so I can safely eat it in the spring). The bay tree, apple tree, peomegranate tree and olive tree leaves are within their reach but they don't bother them. They love chewing on a rose of sharon shrub, and monkey grass.

 

[lcahill]

If your chickens are any thing like mine I would suggest metal wooden or heavy vinyl plants.

I know what you mean. I was hoping to keep the run from being all dirt all the time.

The most current issue is that I was given 25 chickens this week, which turns out I rescued them from deplorable conditions (36 chickens in a 10 ft by 14 ft enclosure) which brings my flock to 40. I have a large coop that attaches to my run that is almost 150 square foot so I'm on the edge of have too many chickens.

Anyone know of anything that I could brodcast in a section of the run that would grow virulent but the chickens could forage and not kill?
I'm thinking of sectioning off around 20-30 square ft at a time and trying to get something established and then do a new section.
I'm trying to avoid using boat loads of litter in the run.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[redneck farmer]

I planted five plants in my coop

4 min later it was nothing but dirt an mud...

 

[joan1708]

I don't know of anything. I think your plan B (boatloads of litter) is more likely to work.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I am thinking if you elevated the floor of your run so grasses could grow up through a screen which would protect the roots from digging and scratching that would definitely help.

Moving the run every few days is the best option but in most cases not practical in urban back yards.

I just throw all my grass clippings and organic material into the run and let them compost it basically. The next year I plant all my vine crops in the run. and move my run over to a virgin piece of back yard. My chicken coop is the metal shed and it is housed on a 2 wheeled trailer. Two people can move it with a lot of effort on their part but hay it is only once a year..

Another factor in killing plants is the potency of their droppings. Their manure is so rich in nitrogen it would kill most plants on contact. Therefore I would suggest metal wooden or heavy vinyl plants and possible synthetic or rubber...

 

[pixie74943]

Obviously everyones opinions are not to be discounted, but it can be done. We transplant everything thats dying or unwanted into our chicken pen and most of it survives...

 

[joan1708]

Obviously everyones opinions are not to be discounted, but it can be done. We transplant everything thats dying or unwanted into our chicken pen and most of it survives...

Have you got any pictures? Would love to see this!