sarahw Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 I want to plant something outside the chicken run my hubby is going to build to make it pretty..the rest of the garden is pretty much just grass,trees and some fenced off veg. What can i plant that is chicken proof ..i would prefer something that doesn't die after a year..as you can tell i don't know a lot about plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 So far the ONLY things I found that chickens dont eat is box and bay - good luck with the search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basset Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 OOOh! What a good question. I want to plant some climbers to grow over my new chicken run, but am not sure what to plant that will be chicken-proof and chicken-safe. So if there are any gardeners out there with any ideas, I'd be really grateful for any suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybaby Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 Most of my plants seem to survive, guess i must just be lucky! The only things the chooks have managed to uproot are bedding plants so i've given up on them. All my larger shrubs and climbers have been fine so maybe just make sure that whatever you plant is quite big to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 my girls don't touch lavender or rosemary, mint or chives all of which are growing in pots along the side of the run however, sometimes if they spy a bug or fancy a dust bath they will uproot plants even if they don't eat them large pebbles in the tops of planters will stop this. gravel, I find, just encourages them and hurts like fury when kicked towards bare shins like machine gun fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesyboy27 Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 for climbing they dont eat clematis montana lots of small pink clematis twice a year.The chooks dont like rocket (I love it). The chooks have just stripped my Azalea its the nicest display of twigs I have ever seen THey have just scoffed a trayfull of baon red onions I only left the tray for five minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted April 22, 2007 Author Share Posted April 22, 2007 Thanks fot the suggestions ..i am writing them down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 we too have given up on bedding plants, it's got to be very substantial before it's planted to stand a chance with the Laydees - not even the tree has been safe as they jump up to eat the leaves off the low branches They haven't touched the bamboo or the honeysuckle that's in their run and there is a plant there that I have no idea what it's called but they don't like that either - just try to expose it's root ball! The herb barrel has been "done over" and yesterday Geri was caught digging over the veg plot...... Some comfort though - last year Geri uprooted most of my red onions and we only had a small crop of small onions!! butone of them must have shown more strength than the other - I noticed yesterday that there's an onion growing and is doing VERY well and strong - so a year late we'll harvest him this year instead! Ah the joy of our hens A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 for climbing they dont eat clematis montana lots of small pink clematis twice a year. I am sure I heard that Clematis is poisonous to hens But that would probably mean they would avoid it anyway..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 Found this on 'tinterweb: The following are known to be poisonous: Bryony / Deadly Nightshade / Horseradish / Hemlock / Henbane / Lburnham Monkshood / Privet / Rhubarb / Yew. Not sure what Lburnham is. I reckon a typo...should it be Laburnum, which is definitely poisonous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 reckon you're right, it's a typo for Laburnum. My guess is that they mostly know what to avoid. Mine don't like chives, they helpfully weeded the tub for me but left them intact, if a bit battered by scratching. Someone else on here reckons they don't eat day lilies, can't remember who. I think if it's very green, soft and juicy it doesn't stand a chance! go for larger, woody, tougher things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*al Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 I think you'll end up just trying plants and seeing if yours like the taste or not. Mine eat the clematis, any herbs, jasmine, roses ... in fact the only thing they don't touch is the rosemary (but they sit on it so it's looking a bit sad now ) Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 Mine eat chives and day lilies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_chickie Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 we have a climbing rose and glory vine on our chicken shed...though neither have leaves in the chickens reach any more >_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy C Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 Mine have been eating the leaves of our wigela, lily of the valley and pyracantha. They also try tulip petals. Unfortunately they are avoiding the nettles and bindweed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 I have a lil bit of soil between the hen run and the wall (the ground is higher where the run is to the rest of the garden! so I thought of panting a couple of sage and chives (they have an oniony flaver lol) along there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 Mine have now been banned from the patio after they raided the herb garden one time too many Being bantams they don't do much damage elsewhere, but they did eat a foxglove plant, which is supposed to be harmful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 I've discovered the plants on the outside of the pen have a square edge running along the fence where the chickens have nibbled through. The raspberry leaves are stripped bare if they go through the mesh. There's one sad little plant in the pen * with waxy leaves that continues to "survive" (i.e. not die) desite being eaten, sat on, and its root ball dug up. * I was going to do a jungle effect of bigger plants that would survive but only ever bought 1 plant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
