They ate ALL of my lavender!!!

[TheMonroeChicks]

Hello all, I read that chickens don't eat lavender, so i planted 2 big pots of it outside of my coop to repel flies and look/smell lovely. Well, they ate it ALL!!! Then proceeded to yank the plans out of the pot and throw all around!!
Thoughts?? Anything they REALLY won't eat, that I can plant in pots around the coop??
Thanks!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I would get the book Gardening with Chickens By Lisa Steele as you can get some great answers and know what plants not to get.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Lavender is one that they do eat and it is good for them too! I would try Catnip, Basil, Bay Leaves, Chamomile (also kills mites and lice), Fennel, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Grass, Marigold, any type of Mint plant, Nasturtium, and Rosemary. This is a list of all the herbs that repel insects and other bugs and a 100% safe for chickens. Just put a barrier so that way they don't get to it.

 

[staceyj]

6 Chickens can level a six foot high 12x12ft neglected root-woven compost hill, eat every blade of grass on 3/4 of an acre, then scratch and dig up all the roots, till up a garden do that it looks like one was never planted, and empty all your pots in less than a year.
(My own experience).
If your desire is a pretty yard/lawn/garden , your best bet is to restrict their time free ranging and/or put up some kind of fencing (like a hen pen) to confine them to a certain area.

They are fluffy-butted backhoes!

 

[lilmillefleur]

I have lav and marigolds in a planter near our coop and they don't touch it

 

[oregonkat]

6 Chickens can level a six foot high 12x12ft neglected root-woven compost hill, eat every blade of grass on 3/4 of an acre, then scratch and dig up all the roots, till up a garden do that it looks like one was never planted, and empty all your pots in less than a year.
(My own experience).
If your desire is a pretty yard/lawn/garden , your best bet is to restrict their time free ranging and/or put up some kind of fencing (like a hen pen) to confine them to a certain area.

They are fluffy-butted backhoes!

Soooooo true!! I increased the size of my chicken run as my flock has grown larger and it looks like a moon scape with ALL of the shrubs that were there plucked clean up to the height that they can reach.. This included wild Honeysuckle, Oregon Grape, Black Oak, White Oak and absolutely anything else with any green on it!! The chickens get all my weeds, prunings and kitchen scraps. Spoiled rotten, the lot of them!

 

[Col1948]

I have a Lavender plant that got a bit out of hand, it grew fairly big, well not knowing I gave it a try, I put it by the coop.
Well as most of you know, they love it, every now and again they come and peck at it with gusto.
So I did a search on the forum and found this thread, nice to know they are getting something they like and is good for them.

 

[Fortune]

Hello all, I read that chickens don't eat lavender, so i planted 2 big pots of it outside of my coop to repel flies and look/smell lovely. Well, they ate it ALL!!! Then proceeded to yank the plans out of the pot and throw all around!!
Thoughts?? Anything they REALLY won't eat, that I can plant in pots around the coop??
Thanks!

Sorry, but I'm laughing because I read in separate articles that chickens hate and love it. I just bought two for my new coop I'm building so I guess I better protect it!

 

[Iluveggers]

I have lav and marigolds in a planter near our coop and they don't touch it

Mine LOVE Marigolds!

 

[Scareab]

Oh my chickens they would just pluck out plants for fun and not even eat it! I have been there and I'd suggest trying to fence them out somehow. Your poor lavender!