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[ToryLou]

Hi!

I would like to plant some climbing plants over the side (south/ south east facing) of my chicken run, to provide shade for the ladies in the summer, and to make the area more attractive to us on the 'outside'. So, preferably flowering, or at least interesting foliage, and ideally fragrant. i know i'm probably asking for the moon.

 

The outer run/ pen is made from chicken wire, which we are have just covered on the outside with brushwood screening.

 

Can anyone tell me please what is safe for the chickens, as i expect they will nibble on any leaves/ tendrils that poke through.

Most plants i have investigated are apparently not safe/ toxic inc: clematis, sweet pea, canary creeper, boston ivy (aka? virginia creeper)

i think honeysuckle and roses are probably ok.

 

i know bramble is safe too, and we get the benefits of fruit - i'd want a thornless variety.

would passion flower be ok too? can i assume if its safe for us it is for the birds?

i'm getting a bit disheartened that everything 'pretty' seems to be a no go!

 

Thanks Torylou

[Mollie333]

Hi

Im sorry i cant help much

but i live in a garden which has alot of shrubs, plants, flowers ect, the chickens know what not to eat, so that could be a big help. you could put a peice of fabric on the inside of the run over the plant, so you can only see the plant from one side, if you get me.

 

goodluck, and nice idea..

[C&T]

How about a winter flowering Jasmine?

 

Not sure if officially poisonous or not, but our chooks leave it alone, and adds green in the summer, and yellow flowers in the winter. I also grow a clematis through ours, so I get flowers in the summer too!

 

And Roses sounds good - there are loads of them, so make sure you take to time to read up on them, and choose the right one. They won't offer much in the winter though, and you will need to ensure as the branches thicken up, that they don't damage the wire of the run.

 

Passion Flowers - I hate pasionately. But that is probably just me! But both my last two houses have had rampant passion flowers covering most of the back gardens, and it takes a while to remove it all! They grow very very fast and have a long reach - so make sure you have the room for it!

 

We have clematis in the garden, and they just leave them alone. Again loads of varieties - for north, south, east and west facing, some much bigger than others.

 

Whatever you choose, ensure the chooks can't disturb the roots from their side of the run. If they are on concrete already you are fine, but if not you might want to think about putting a paving slab down by the plant to protect the roots.

 

The only other thought - can you put of a secondary screen in front of the run, just half a foot away, and grow the plant on that? That way the plant will still provide shade, but not be on the run, and this might open up your options, and ensure the run itself is not damaged?

[SeramaSilly]

Hi there,

 

My poultry run incorporates one of our side fences and that is covered in a very mature ivy which they peck at everyday but I have never had any trouble in the four years I've had my chooks.

 

Sophie

x

[ToryLou]

Hmm.

thanks.. food for thought there. i do keep reading that they know what is good for them and leave what isn't, so i think i'll go for a rose/ clematis combo, so i can get a variety of colours over a longer flowering season.

and find another home for my sweet peas!

the plants will be planted on the ouside of their run, but unfortunately i wont be able to move the screening away from the wire due to various restrictions on size, location etc, although that is a very clever idea!

 

no of to research those flowers.

 

Thanks for your suggestions

torylou xx