abwsco Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Is there a list anywhere of plants that are safe for chickens but that they don't eat. Up until yesterday I did have some plants in pots but they've decided to eat all of those today. We don't have a lot of flowers in our garden, preferring shrubs and conifers but they've already eaten all of my crocosmia so I could do with replacing it with something. Just hope they don't start on my peonies or rhododendrums. Oh and why do they ignore the brambles that come in from next doors garden. I would love it if they ate those -lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Lavender and Rosemary are often suggested, although some hens do like Lavender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I've got alot of plants in my garden that the chooks aren't touching - it could be that i've got 7 very well behaved chooks Penstemons - I have lots of these and I haven't seen them bother them once Others in the same bed, Ornamental Poppies, Aliums, Jacobs Ladder, Scabious, Verbascums, Salvias, Red leaf Lobelia. They don't eat the grasses, herbs like Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage. They have eaten my Geums, Ladys Mantle(not now its bigger) Heuchuras, Garlic Chives, Sedums. I suspect they would love the annuals, Begonias etc and I'm just wondering what to do with my Dahlias which are ready to go out in the garden.... Hope this helps, Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 do they eat mint? mines not doing well indoors and i'd like to put it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueSteve Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Mine have eaten most of the garden, but they left the lavender, the penstemens and Daphne. One other thing you need towatch, even it thy don't eat the plants, they often scratch around and destroy them, this happened to my osteospermum, foxgloves and aqualegia. In the run they have a lavender and a penstemen. I have some more lavenders that I will be planting along the edge of the run. Thaks for the tip about Sage and Rosemary, I might try then too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 do they eat mint? mines not doing well indoors and i'd like to put it out My mint in the garden is only really just coming up - but so far so good - I don't remember them being too bothered about it Sept/Oct last year. Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 Thanks everyone. Just noticed this morning that mine aren't eating my mint either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omletina Kyckling Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I'm just wondering what to do with my Dahlias which are ready to go out in the garden.... Oooh dahlias were my girls first port of call last year!! Yum yum!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueSteve Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Mine ate my mint! I have moved it and it's now growing back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Mine have eaten everything they can get to and what they haven't eaten they have scratched up and shredded. The only things that are safe are the shrubs and even then they eat all the leaves they can reach and expose the roots. I've noticed that they can completely ignore a plant one day only to fall on it like ravening hordes the next They did however leave the oregano untouched for weeks but I think that's because they knew I wanted them to clear it and they are perverse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff232/chickencam/2008_0520may080090.jpg This is my garden after a year. There is more bare soil than before but we have roses and some bigger shrubs like budlea(sp) penstemons, lavatera phormiums, hollies. We let the girls out for about 3 hours a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 what size do you have to reduce photos to on the new layout of photobucket does anyone know? It used to be easy. This was supposed to be small should I have gone for tiny? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Huggers R Us Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Hi, I have half barrel type pot full of all different herbs and the girls don't eat any of them, Sage, Tarragon, chives, oregano, apple mint. The only herb I have seen one of ours eat with relish is coriander and DH has made me a windowbox so I have some herbs in there also that they can't get at. By the way they LOVE lillies and have eaten all 4 pots full of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 what size do you have to reduce photos to on the new layout of photobucket does anyone know? It used to be easy. This was supposed to be small should I have gone for tiny? The size needs to be 320x240 (website, email on photobucket) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 chickencam I must say your garden is looking good after a year. I see you have a Ecalyptus plant aswell, we just put one of those in. Though I not sure they on the plant list but people say they know what not to eat! Your grass looks similar to ours, it looks good still! Your plants look lush! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 We've got some small box plants too, which we found out after they had been in for several months were toxic, but the girls haven't touched then not even digging them up, so they must know. We had the lawn protected with crumpled chicken wire in one place for a while after we put some grass seed down. We don't tend to let them out for long if it has rained a lot because it gets waterlogged and they seem to dig it more when they are paddling on it They dpn't have to wreck your garden but you do have to change what you have in it to suit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
