What kind of tree/bush to plant in chicken yard

[darkmatter]

Mulberries of course, (See my BYC page). I also have apples and persimmons started in the new large pen. You can also feed your chickens with tomato plants, I use a tire with the bottom sidewall cut out and filled with compost from the chickens, then a tall cage wrapped around it with a smaller gauge mesh to keep the chickens from eating the young tomato plants, they grow up and over the cage, dropping lots of tomatoes. The tomatoes get going good about the time the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry tapers off.

 

[patman75]

If you want fast growing try some sort of vine. Grapes are a great idea. Trumpet vine, clematis, climbing roses, climbing hydrangea, wisteria. Plant them on the outside of the run and make sure the chickens can’t reach them or they will eat them.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Tomatoe plants (not the RIPE fruit) are toxic to poultry (and if your birds are penned with little other choice they will eat them)

Ever think about a kiwi? It grows FAST and provides wonderful shade... the leaves are huge and have a beautiful tinge of red to them... it is a pretty hardy plant too...I have mine next to my compost bin as it does like a good feed.
I protect my pumpkin and zucchini plants at the base by putting a cage over them which the plants quickly grow through > the birds like nipping at the leaves and I let them have go at as many zucchini they want to eat (there is always enough lol.

There is no reason in the world to have a bare ole ugly run with no pretty flowers or plants in (and if you protect the base of the plant as described above, many plants can be enjoyed by both you and your birds.

 

[cybercat]

Tomatoes plants toxic I think NOT. I have fed mine our excess plants for weeks and they are just 12 weeks old now. They loved the leaves and would chase each other around the brooder for them.

 

[ColoradoMike]

We have raspberries growing along one of the fences of the chicken yard - and they love spending time under there, eating the low hanging and overripe fallen berries and some lower leaves. The stuff grows like a weed, so I'm not concerned about them killing it...

We'll see how it fairs next summer after a full year of chicken habitation....

 

[Wiljay]

Quote:
What kind of soil do you have? Sandy or Clay, Alkaline or Acidic?

Blueberries like friable, well drained, acidic soils. If you have alkaline based soils you'll have difficulty with blueberries. You can grow then in a whiskey barrel in a mix of peat moss and compost (or a good potting mix).

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Sandy and dry.

 

[TK Poultry]

Quote:
are not ive given my chickens and ducks all kinds of tomatoes and tomato plants and they arent ive been doing it for weeks with my garden slowly shrinking!!!

 

[fldiver97]

Mine like to hang out under the (almost indestructable) raspberry bushes, they also like to "lounge" under the junipers and the dogwoods. No dame to the plants over the summer

 

[Giammona farm]

I would plant blackberry bushes