Hoop coop garden trellis

[photogal76118]

I want to plant a garden and raise some laying hens. I have a small yard so wanted to combine the two. My thought was to build a cattle panel hoop coop for the chicken run and have raised beds along either side of the coop, and use the cattle panels as a trellis for vertical gardening for things like squash, cucumbers and/or tomatoes which would provide shade for the hens during hot Texas summer..
Is this feasible? Is it not advisable? Would the chickens harm the trellis plants or vice versa?
What are your thoughts/advice on this?

 

[mowin]

Should work, as long as the plants are protected from the chickens with hardware cloth. If you just use the cattle panel, they will eat everything you planted and also escape.
Chicken cloth/wire MIGHT work, if you can keep them farther away from the run.

Not even sure HC would work.. if the chicken's can pick at the plants, it might stunt their growth. However, squash, cukes will grow just about anywhere, tomato's, not so much.

 

[Acre4Me]

Chickens will eat anything they can reach. We plant vining plants on the south side of the run. We also have a folding 3’ fence that we put on the inside of the run to prevent the chickens from eating the plants.

Using plants for shade is good-it can really help with cooling the space. But, I’ll suggest using Birdhouse gourds. They grow pretty fast, they are prolific, AND they have large leaves- much better than a pea plant for shade. The chickens will eat any leaves or baby gourds they can reach, but it is not harmful to them. We planted many varieties of gourds, but the birdhouse gourds are the best shade solution we have found. Gourds are very frost sensitive. You do have s long enough season to dry any gourds on the vine, if that interests you.

 

[paintedChix]

Writing again - what I had started disappeared while taking our newest pup to ER. Hopefully a bee or wasp & not a snake got her snoot...
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have you already started your coop raised beds? If so - how is it doing? Did you put up a trellis between the actual bed & the curve of the hoop or are you actually trellising up the curve of the hoop itself? What did you plant?

I have plans to do similar. I have 2 hoop coops that I am refurbishing - making larger & wider. Planning on beds on both long sides - 16' long x 2' wide. My plan for vining plants - peas, beans, cukes, squashes, melons, berries - is a t-post at each end w/ haystring woven back n forth for them to vine between. Any stems, leaves, fruit or veg that gets thru the 1/2" HWC or the 2x4" wire above that - fair game for them... I'm going slow - still building raised beds in front yard & haven't refurbished the 2 coops yet...

Was planning on getting outside to do some wire work when Ginger pawed at my knee & her face/snoot visibly swelling in front of me... Depending on her status, may not get any more done this weekend. Always something w/ pets & livestock.