What can I plant in my run that will grow quickly and give cover...

[fullhouse]

These are things I have in my yard in Michigan, with chickens ( hawks, eagles, and falcons) that I would buy again.

Burning bush. Good camo, pretty, not too expensive for a good size. Naturally rustic so a leaf missing doesn't make it look awful.

White pine. Grows big fast. Holds a good deal of snow off the ground under it.

Poplars. Grow FAST. Good shade, windbreak.

Hemlock. Good in shade, grows fast, doesn't kill chickens, or at least hasn't killed mine.

Euonymus (wrong spelling I am sure). Fast grower, covers ground or up trellises, my chickens don't tend to eat it.

Clematis. Grows pretty fast. light weight. Pretty.

Some sort of weeping tree. We have several. All make good cover.

Daylilys! Cheap, easy, my chickens love them.



Things I wouldn't buy again.

Dogwood. Chickens eat the leaves, bunnies eat the bark in winter. Look bad all the time.

Trumpet vine. Invasive! Can't kill it.

Rose of Sharron. Makes babies like mad, not good cover, pretty flowers.

 

[tiffanyh]

I did grape vines...........I planted it outside the run and let them grow up the side. I put chicken wire under the vine (I haev chain link) so the ladies didnt bother it. I put a panel around the bottom too and let it grow up the side. It is growing very very fast and covering quite a bit...

 

[JoeOxfordCT]

Quote:
Thanks !! I forgot, I did had Burning bush at another house and I remember the chickens I had then would roost in it's low branchs....I have to see if I can find some...

White Pine is another good idea too ! Along with the grapevine I have some really good ideas now !!

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

I planted pomegranates in the run, with poultry wire-covered tomato cages around them. The chickens still ate anything that came within beak distance of the cage, so I replaced the cages with 4' diameter cages of welded wire. So far, so good. I figure that when the plants are big enough to stand up to chickens, I'll remove the cages. They will have shade, cover and the lower fruit, and I will get the rest.

 

[scooter147]

Bamboo!

I planted some on the west side of the run and I planted some in the run. Of course that planted in the run is protected by chicken wire.

It is hardy, grows rapidily and it very thick so it offers great shade.

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
Did you chicks eat the grapevine or the grapes? I hadn't thought to do that, DH wants grapes eventually and if we can have it give the run some shade as well... might not be a bad idea. Our run will be small so there's a chance it could cover quite a bit of the run, does yours let enough light through?

 

[keljonma]

Climbing roses.... We don't trellis ours, so they grow up about 5 feet and then fall over, creating an umbrella under the branches. You can grow it along the fence and let some of the branches fall into the run area. The flock will hide under them when hawks (or herons) fly overhead. Because of the thorns, they don't dig them up.

 

[Cetawin]

There are lots of things you can plant in the run and around that are safe for chickens but also many that are not. Here are some good resources for you...

Chickens and Plants

Bird Safe Plants

Bird Safe Plants and Trees

I am planning the run cover now and deciding what I want to put around the run for them, even though it will have a top, I want them to have some natural shading, hiding places and good eats.

Good luck this time around.

 

[tiffanyh]

tiffanyh wrote:
I did grape vines...........I planted it outside the run and let them grow up the side. I put chicken wire under the vine (I haev chain link) so the ladies didnt bother it. I put a panel around the bottom too and let it grow up the side. It is growing very very fast and covering quite a bit...

Did you chicks eat the grapevine or the grapes? I hadn't thought to do that, DH wants grapes eventually and if we can have it give the run some shade as well... might not be a bad idea. Our run will be small so there's a chance it could cover quite a bit of the run, does yours let enough light through?

I put the vines on the outside of the run and put chicken wire behind it. So there are no grapes in the actual run and the chicken wire keeps the chicken from peeking their heads through.

I love it...... looks great.​

 

[lleighmay]

Thanks for the resource links Cetawin- I've been planning my run/plantings and it's good to have info on appropriate plantings. I've bookmarked them all for future reference and will make good use of them in the next few weeks.... maybe Lowe's will have some of these marked down now that the end of the season is approaching