What type of bush can I put in the run? UPDATE!!!

[GiddyMoon]

I never thought I would have such a hard time finding info about things to plant around the coop yard. There will be an outer chainlink fence and I wanted to plant things around it so they could peck them if need be but it would also look better..any suggestions for dry climate chicken plants?

 

[krcote]

Dry climate?! With all that AZ heat?! I wouldn't have the foggiest idea on what to tell you

I just came in from out scavenging trees/bushes from around my property (or very near the property line

) and came up with a few good options. It is one of those raw New England days so I am in by the wood stove having some hot coffee and warming my bones. I got too cold to come to find the camera and then venture back out but I will post pics tomorrow of what I decided on. I will have to be good about remembering to water these guys on occasion. They are planted near the outer parts of the covered run and will get some water but I want to be sure they don't dry out. Nurseries around here are just starting to put plants out, so I think I will be on the lookout for some very tall decorative grasses to add.

 

[rancher hicks]

* What type of bush can I put in the run?




Anything but a George Bush.

 

[GiddyMoon]

Believe it or not, Tucson is actually VERY green LOL Whenever I look at "safe" lists..I can't seem to find what I want to find! ug

 

[Pharm Girl]

Don't know what type of bushes these are, but my chickens only hide from the sun under them....

 

[bantyshanty]

I've had temporary runs up around lilacs, dogwoods, willows, hollies for adolescent pullets.

I'd recommend all but the willows. They pulled all the leaves off for fun, and nibbled the small branches.

You may want to put 2-3 feet up of hardware cloth around your bush so they won't get tempted to strip it near the ground if they're bored.

 

[jason_mazzy]

I like fruiting bushes because it adds nutrition and free feed to your chickens. i just did 20 blueberry cuttings, hoping they will work this year.

 

[Momagain1]

I was afraid that if I put the sand inthe run, that the bushes/fruit bushes wont survive due to:

A: sand

B: they would strip it down b4 it is established....

WDYT?

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Quote:
That's exactly what I was going to say!! My hens just discovered my blueberry bushes in the yard, and I will be lucky if I get any fruit at all!! But I don't mind.... they are much cuter..

 

[CoyoteMagic]

What about Mulberry? I don't know about NH but we had them in NJ and I've got them here in NC. I surround them with an upside down tomato cage wrapped with chicken wire The bush will grow up and over the cage. yes the chickens will pick at it but they won't be able to KILL IT with the cage around it.

We've also used brightly painting small old tires around the base of the bushes to keep the chickens from digging up the roots and to keep the DH from running over the baby bushes with the mower!