What can I plant?

[Driley62]

So my run for my flock is in total approximately 520 square foot in size. 100sqft of it grass or anything for that fact will never grow between the bedrock and tree roots and just the sheer amount of traffic it takes in a day's time frame. So with that section I've grown to live with that.

Then I thought. Maybe I can find a grass seed that is fast growing and shade loving(the run is under a heavy canopy of about 6 big old maple trees). Then remembered oh wait, with the 20 birds we have it would be a waste of time, effort and money because they'd have that gobbled up and bare again in a matter of a couple weeks.

So now I'm turning to the community to see if anyone has any plants/ideas I can plant in an otherwise dirt landscape that's fast growing and fast regenerating that chickens love. I thought about making a fodder box(with rolled wire so it could grow through but the shade produced I fear it won't work).

I live in Chazy. NY about 10 minutes no joke from the Canadian border...so basically south Canada. So im looking for things that I should only have to plant once and hopefully never have to again. Anyone got anything on this?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I have done pots. I plant herbs that repel mosquitoes and herbs they will eat in pots. Every day, I would rotate the pots in the run with pots outside the run (a dolly makes life easier to transfer them)

 

[Driley62]

I have done pots. I plant herbs that repel mosquitoes and herbs they will eat in pots. Every day, I would rotate the pots in the run with pots outside the run (a dolly makes life easier to transfer them)

That's a good idea I won't lie. I honestly was trying to avoid the potted plant route. In what I call the extension there is a bunch of open dirt with little to no roots or rock. Places to give them a place to hide and forage for bugs or tasty green stuff. Something that'll regenerate quickly but stays small in stature. They enjoy scratching through the dirt but to me is am eye sore. My first thought was plant shade loving grass at the end of this year, cover in hay and close off the extension entirely til it grows in spring. But the birds will have that gone in a matter of days.

 

[cheepteach]

nothing you plant in the ground will withstand their daily scratching/eating and still thrive. Pots are rotated for the plants to replenish away from the chickens

 

[Jory]

What about a hardy clover? Here's a good article on a good shade tolerant cultivar.
https://www.hunker.com/13426437/the-best-type-of-clover-to-plant-in-shade

 

[Driley62]

What about a hardy clover? Here's a good article on a good shade tolerant cultivar.
https://www.hunker.com/13426437/the-best-type-of-clover-to-plant-in-shade

I'm liking it. But what will its regrowth rate be is my curiosity. Granted I've got a decent amount of space for 20 birds but they can still make light and short work or wrecking whatever I plant. But it also leads me to think about the idea of a grazer/fodder box? The fact it's a grass type will bring the bugs in naturally and the box concept will keep from complete eradication of anything I place in there. On top of the clover you have anything else that's shade loving that chickens love? I'm starting to roll with an idea 😁