Need advice for the best vines and plants for in a chicken run!

[Papaye]

(Keep OLEANDER very far away from your birds!
It is so toxic that even if only one leave fall in their waterer, they could die after drinking the water...!!)

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

What are your guys' thoughts on Crossvine? I love the idea of attracting humming birds to my run now that my cat is indoor only. I also like English Ivy.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

I like the idea of thornless blackberries. My chickens used to have access to a raspberry bush and they LOVED it, but they are no longer aloud in there as it is not safe anymore.
How quickly do thornless blackberries grow? Are they a bush or can they climb a wall to provide shelter and shade for the chickens? Are they high maintenance?

They grow pretty quickly, similar to raspberry except they fruit on 2nd years canes, not first like raspberry. But I prune my raspberries like my blackberries and get a full season of berries off both. Blackberries just aren't as hardy in zone 6. I haven't had to replant, but I don't get much fruit during cooler spring/summers.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

What are your guys' thoughts on Crossvine? I love the idea of attracting humming birds to my run now that my cat is indoor only. I also like English Ivy.

Oh gosh don't plant English ivy! Highly invasive. Look into native honeysuckle. Its not green year around but won't overtake the neighborhood and smoother other plants.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Thank you so much for your comment, your points made a lot of sense and were very helpful!!
I want to put a roof on the run, but the tree makes it hard. What are the advantages to putting bamboo in the run?
Here are some pictures of my run:
View attachment 4102879View attachment 4102881View attachment 4102880

Very nice area for the chicks! I'm in the NC mountains and for a brief moment was jealous of your flat land lol! How easy that must be, dang it!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Is Cherry Blossom poisonous to chickens?

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Will chickens eat and kill Lavender and Rosemary? I would have the base of the plant protected so they couldn't dig it up.

 

[Debbie292d]

Oh gosh don't plant English ivy! Highly invasive. Look into native honeysuckle. Its not green year around but won't overtake the neighborhood and smoother other plants.

English Ivy may be invasive where you are, but where we are, where it freezes out, it doesn't come back. You'd have to replant it. I love the look of it on walls in the south though, but I can see where that could be an annoyance too.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

English Ivy may be invasive where you are, but where we are, where it freezes out, it doesn't come back. You'd have to replant it. I love the look of it on walls in the south though, but I can see where that could be an annoyance too.

Yeah we have entire areas overrun with it and it chokes out the trees like kudzu. Good point that *invasive* can definitely depend on the area!

 

[Debbie292d]

Wisteria is toxic to chickens, but if you look it up, it is beautiful. In the south, it's invasive; up here, just some pruning keeps it in check. We planted it on the south side of our coop to provide some shade to the building.

We have silkies who aren't considered too bright, and even they don't touch it. I would, however, watch it for a bit first to make sure you don't have any weirdo chickens that would try to eat it.

We border a forest where they free-range. Like you mentioned, what all are they finding and not eating?