Landscaping the Duck Park

[Hudsonsgirl]

Yesterday I finally got around to transplanting the flowers from the front yard flag pole to put them in and around the chickens' and ducks' park.

I had cosmos, marigolds, zinnias and they grew so tall our flag was touching them. Hubby bought some yellow tulips, hyacinths and crocus bulbs so I changed out the flowers for the bulbs.

Today I found two juniper trees and transplanted them! One for the ducks and one for the chickens. I put bricks around the base of them to keep duck bills and chicken toes from ruining the roots.

The ducks love the new addition and keep huddling around it to "inspect". The chickens were more interested in watching me dig the hole and race to get grub worms than when I put the juniper in there.

I also started a Kidde pool compost pile in the chicken park to stave off boredom, head pecking and chasing. Its been working! They are so interested in all the goodies they find there's no energy being put into sibling rivalry. Anyways just wanted to share some of our life today with y'all.

 

[Callender Girl]

Best wishes for your landscaping! I like your idea of protecting roots with bricks.

My bad birds seem determined to destroy any plant I value while simultaneously allowing the ugliest weeds to thrive. In fairness to my feathered ones, they don't seem at all interested in killing any of the junipers, but I'm reluctant to plant my new tulip bulbs in "their" side of the yard. I've had to make protective chicken wire fences around any flowering plants that I want to keep safe.

I hope your chickens and ducks appreciate all the effort you are putting into making their lives more interesting!

 

[Jenbirdee]

bulbs and the flowers that grow from them (and the stems/ leaves) are toxic - don’t plant bulbs

 

[Jenbirdee]

my lists of plants toxic to birds may not be complete

 

[TwoCrows]

Cute photos! ❤It's fun to decorate the run for our birds.

As @Jenbirdee mentioned above, bulbs and their leaves are highly toxic and can be deadly so you might remove them. We live in a Juniper forest around here. I've even seen my birds eat the berries. They say Juniper is toxic however my birds have never had trouble with the young shoots or mature trees. So I think you will enjoy the mature trees, they grow fast! I, however, am extremely allergic to these trees I'd love to chop the entire forest down! As the trees mature, cut the lower branches to make shade, if you don't, they grow into giant bushes. When birds hide under Junipers, you NEVER get them out.

 

[Callender Girl]

Agreed, @TwoCrows, my chickens, ducks and geese have never shown any interest in juniper berries or mature plants. And, it's also true that when they're playing hide and seek under the junipers, they don't want to be found!

The only bulbs planted in the areas where the birds are turned loose are Siberian Squill, and they have never shown any interest in nibbling on the squills, which are small and disappear quickly in early spring.

One year, I foolishly put some bulbs in a planter on the top step of the front stairs. My geese, Gussie and Golly, kindly told me that was a mistake -- by pulling out every single one, completely uneaten, and leaving them for me to find later. I'll pretend I think they were just looking out for the other birds who might not have recognized a toxic danger.

 

[Hudsonsgirl]

bulbs and the flowers that grow from them (and the stems/ leaves) are toxic - don’t plant bulbs

Oh no. My bulbs are in my front yard. I transplanted the flowers from the front yard to make room for the bulbs.
The bulbs are not anywhere near my birds. They got all the flower transplants around and in their parks.

 

[Hudsonsgirl]

my lists of plants toxic to birds may not be complete

Thank you for this list! Its always good to know.

 

[Hudsonsgirl]

Cute photos! ❤It's fun to decorate the run for our birds.

As @Jenbirdee mentioned above, bulbs and their leaves are highly toxic and can be deadly so you might remove them. We live in a Juniper forest around here. I've even seen my birds eat the berries. They say Juniper is toxic however my birds have never had trouble with the young shoots or mature trees. So I think you will enjoy the mature trees, they grow fast! I, however, am extremely allergic to these trees I'd love to chop the entire forest down! As the trees mature, cut the lower branches to make shade, if you don't, they grow into giant bushes. When birds hide under Junipers, you NEVER get them out.

So just to be clear, I transplanted flowers from my front yard to the duck and chicken parks. The bulbs are in the front yard and nowhere near my birds.

I too and allergic to juniper. My forearms were dotted and itchy by the time I planted them in the ground. But, -sigh- I live my little feather babies so much. Haha.

Great idea on pruning the bottom as the tree matures. I will definitely do that!