Hayleybug Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Hi, i am cordoning off a section of my lawn for the chickens to FR in (not over using as i want to try to keep some grass there!) and i was considering some naturalised planting such as snowdrops, crocuses, bluebells. if i did this would the chickens just destroy them though?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 The short answer I am afraid is yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I think they'll just dig them out, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 You could try nettles, thistles and docks - they don't eat those!! They don't eat chamomile either, one of our runs has a lot of chamomile in and always looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayleybug Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 thanks everyone, might just do that in the part of the lawn they wont be allowed on then! chamomile sounds like a good idea tho, so may give that a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I don't know if this is the same for everyone else, but the slugs ate my chamomile this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I don't know if this is the same for everyone else, but the slugs ate my chamomile this year The slugs here only eat useful stuff.....like my potatoes - they haven't touched the chamomile.....we had to put the lawnmower over the chicken run yesterday......we couldn't see the hens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 There are other things you can do to make a hen pen look nice too. Piles of stones & cobbles look good or look out for logs & branches,which can be replaced easily when they get mucky (which they will) These also give the hens something to jump & perch on,which they love to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 In my chicken run I have: flowering currant, buddleia and bamboo at the moment. All have survived. I do protect their lower branches though with plant support type things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovemarmite Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 does anyone know if chickens eat comfrey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Momma Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I have just moved my two chooks into a 'natural' area of the garden and of course they made a beeline for the flower border. All I have in it at the moment are marigolds and borage (both of which spread wildly); buddleia; a goosberry bush and some lavender bushes. They quickly established dustbaths for themselves which of course I will NOT plant and spend most of the day scratching up and eating the worms and the weeds Even though next year they will undoubtedly stuff themselves on marigold and borage seeds I am hopeful that enough plants will make it through next spring (although they'll probably eat the seedlings as well! I've also just transplanted some crocosmia - which grows pretty wild here on the Isle of Man and have a couple of apple saplings. I'm okay with what they are doing as I always wanted my chooks to be able to free-range. I'll watch what they destroy and not plant that again! Long answer to a short question but - no - I do not plan to put in daffs, snowdrops etc as I think that would just be another expensive food item for Betty and Margo! Good luck! P.S. There's also some established mallow in the corner which is currently about 5ft high and the girls LOVE scratching around in that corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Momma Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 [quote They don't eat chamomile either, one of our runs has a lot of chamomile in and always looks good. Now that's a nice idea! Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 They don't appear to touch cyclamen - I have several clumps that look very healthy. Nor do they seem to be scratching it up! I'll probably find it's all gone next year now! My cyclamen was buried rather deep when we leveled the garden so anything that gets up to the air must be really tough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
