What kind of tree/bush to plant in chicken yard

[gingernutranger]

Bluebrries are my chickens favorite.

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

I can't get blueberries to grow here, My daughter LOVES them, I've tryed 3 times and they all died.
I've got lots of ideas now, but still not sure what i"m going to plant.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

the chickens let the blueberries grow??
My chickens pecked the blueberry bush almost to death and then when I caged it they are always trying to get the cage off!

 

[dlhunicorn]

I have a tall hedge (and it stays green all year too) surrounding my yard... my birds LOVE to do their dust bathes underneath it and it also provides shelter from the rain > it IS well established but you might think long term and if possible do this as it is a great help in the summer as a shady place too.
On the other side of my yard (there is a brick wall dividing my yard with neighbors) I have raspberries... they grow tall and underneath is also lots of shade and the birds enjoy scratching there too.... some of the tall ones on the edge will fall over and I let the birds have what they can jump and nip at (they also nip at the leaves too and there are always spiders in there too.
These two things are probably the major things that keep my birds from digging up my lawn.

I have a paved section (use the big ole sidewalk pavers) and I have removed one or two here and there and planted sage (which can get quite large and bushy) which they leave alone and also echnacea (really beautiful long lasting flowers which I make tea from)... grape vine to climb up the trellis I have over the brooder hutch... and bamboo

 

[cybercat]

Here is another thought. I read that willow planted next to where chickens are is great for darkening the egg shelld. It also makes a great shade tree Plus if you read up on the bark it is medicne also. Willow bark tea is great alternaitive for asprin which it was made from originally.

 

[Fanny]

Saskatoon bushes grow quite tall and thick and have tasty berries.

Or maybe a lilac? I love the smell of lilacs in the springtime. They also can be a fairly tall and thick shrub, and can spread out nicely for shade.

They are both hardy, low-maintenance plants, (in my zone anyway) and are non-poisonous... not sure though how they would stand up to a flock of chickens!

 

[daryl]

Chech this out its a shade tree that prividehttp://www.naturehills.com/product/siberian_peashrub.aspxs food for chickens also

 

[daryl]

sorry link did not work Its a siberian Peashrub I have read in some chicken books that they like to eat the peas

 

[DragonFeathers]

I ran the chicken yard close to our weeping willows, the girls love the shade and do not eat any of the leaves.

 

[Uppity Peon]

If you can build a sturdy arbor, and protect the plants from the chickens, grape vines would be awesome!!!

But I'm afraid chickens are very rough on little plants. I hope you can figure something out because tree shade feels much cooler to me than any tarp or canopy shade.