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

[Naughty]

i have a very young mulberry tree in the middle of my yard - surrounded by a tomato cage - an old tire - and hardware cloth too - to try to get it to survive until it can hold its own - every morning it gets the water out of the pans as i put fresh in there - so crossing my fingers - figure when it finally does mature (5-7 years supposedly a fast growing tree per nursery catalog) then will get mulberrys for cooking and free chicken treats also

 

[ralleia]

How about something like a semi-dwarf fruit tree (peaches or cherries) or a flowering crabapple?

We have a flowering crabapple in our back yard, and cleaning up the mess the fruits make every fall is a horror. The fruits attract all forms of stinging insects. We pack off all the fruits as much and as fast as we can and the horse and the chickens LOVE to eat them.

If that crabapple grew and dropped its fruits in the chicken coop we would ALL be so much happier!!!

 

[krcote]

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Oh I hope this little tree works out for you! I just LOVE mulberries!

 

[krcote]

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I have 5 crabapple cuttings in my house that I am attempting to root! I was going to line the driveway with them, now I think I'll add one to the run too! Thanks for the great idea!!!!

 

[krcote]

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Have you tried Concord grapes or other types of grapes? You can plant them by the fence and once they take, they will grow like weeds and cover the run. Nice shade for our summers. I am thinking of doing that. We had a couple grape vines over out fish pond and it was great shade in the summer.

Can you keep them under control so they climb but don't totally take over? This sounds like a really cool option!

 

[krcote]

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The Yew itself may be fine, what concerns me is that the berries are poinsonous. Aren't they?

I don't think so, this is the common theme I keep reading:

The book: Plants for a future", by Ken Fern states:
"All parts of this plant, except the fully ripe fruit, are highly poisonous, but this fruit is completely toxin free. It is sweet and toxin free. The texture is somewhat gelatinous however, which puts a number of people off. Should you accidentally swallow the seed, whilst eating the flesh there is no cause for concern because it will pass through without being digested. Indeed will germinate better for its experience. Don’t chew the bitter seed though, as this would release the toxins."

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

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Have you tried Concord grapes or other types of grapes? You can plant them by the fence and once they take, they will grow like weeds and cover the run. Nice shade for our summers. I am thinking of doing that. We had a couple grape vines over out fish pond and it was great shade in the summer.

Can you keep them under control so they climb but don't totally take over? This sounds like a really cool option!

If you do have issues with "taking over", just trim them up.

 

[krcote]

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Can you keep them under control so they climb but don't totally take over? This sounds like a really cool option!

If you do have issues with "taking over", just trim them up.

I think I will give it a whirl

Thanks for the great suggestion.

 

[patandchickens]

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No. THe flesh of the berries is the only NONpoisonous part of the yew. The seed within is poisonous to mammals in some quantity, but basically harmless to birds.

Areyoumymother -- you can certainly plant roses or raspberries in/near the run, but expect the chickens to do a job on 'em

Pat

 

[CrazyFowlFreak]

We've volunteer raspberry and blackberry bushes growing along the fence of our girls' yard. They are going to LOVE it when the berries come!