Flowering vines that are safe for Chickens

[new chick 203]

I've been looking at garden catalogs on this snowy day and wondering about a nice flowering vine for around my run. Every time I think I found one it turns out to be toxic to chickens or dogs. So far I have eliminated hops, honeysuckle, grape, and clematis. Any brilliant idea?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I'm curious, why did you eliminate grape?

 

[new chick 203]

The chicken's would be thrilled with them, but grapes are toxic to dogs. I planted some before i knew so I have to keep an eye out as it is.

 

[SuburbanFarmstress]

My aunt and uncle have plenty of grapes on their property, and dogs, and neighbor dogs that run through regularly. They've never had any problems, and it's been this way for decades. I don't know if that's unusual or not, but I've never seen any of the dogs eating the grapes.

I have vinca major and wisteria vines in my backyard, I hadn't thought about them potentially being toxic to chickens. I guess I assumed that chickens wouldn't eat something toxic. Are they likely to be a problem?

Both of those vines are lovely though. I don't know how they would do in your zone, but out here (zone 9a/14) they will take over anything that sit still for too long. I would never plant vinca major in the ground, ever. Too hard to eradicate. Out there it might be an annual though.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

We have grape vines all over our property and I've never seen any of our dogs eating them. Granted, they are trellised, so the amount of grapes that are close enough for a dog to eat are few, but still...JMO.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

A lot of people have grape vines and dogs, myself included and haven't noticed any problems. For me, the benefits of grapes covering my run far outweigh any risk that my dog might eat the grapes (she hasn't yet in three years). new chick 203, does your dog go for the grapes you planted?

SuburbanFarmstress, I looked up vinca major and saw that it was mildly toxic. I have a lot of things in my yard that are potentially toxic to my chickens and they do occasionally eat some of it, but I'm not seeing any symptoms (I'm keeping my eye out though!). Mostly, they leave the bad stuff alone.

 

[Moxiechick]

Nasturtiums have a vining form. Although it really grows more as a trailer, it can be trained to climb on supports. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible.

It is an annual though.

 

[Lesa]

I always plant nasturtiums- but have not seen that climbing/vining form!! They look fabulous! I will be looking for those seeds!

 

[new chick 203]

I love the nasturtiums and plant them every year, but alas, they are treated as annuals here in zone 6. I hope to find something more perennial.

My dog doesn't go for the grapes in a huge way, but as you say, there aren't that many down at her level. We use to give them to her till we read they were a problem for dogs.

 

[Moabite]

My hens love my trumpet vine. And so do the hummingbirds. It is a little invasive though. It can't to toxic as the girls ate lots of the lower leaves off last summer and are fine. It provides much needed shade out here in the desert and I don't have to water it.
(Upper right side covering a 6ft chainlink fence.)