Re: Shrubs and Chickens (may be OT)

0tterbot wrote:
"Bitstreams" <bitstream7@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:95a3525e-920b-4a71-bb7d-1709ed2a4cb9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The girls (just the two of them) have their own pen at the side of the
house, up against a hedge, but it's just bare earth otherwise.
They can (and do) get out over the picket fence - though it's a bit of
an effort for Blossom (a rather large Blue Orpington).
I want to plant some shrubs in their pen, just a couple of plants to
make it a little less barren - but I want to get something that they
won't eat all in the first day.
Any suggestions for hen-proof shrubs?


i've had that same problem :-) (still do, actually)

mine haven't (yet) demolished a pot of mint, although they do go at it when they're a bit hungry - it's clearly not anywhere near their favourite, though so they mostly leave it (they ate up all the oregano, though). the other things in there they don't touch are the little gum trees; however, you probably couldn't get gums to grow anyway where you are (?), so try something else tough (thick, hard leaves), oily & aromatic (e.g. lavender) as such things are pretty unpalatable to most species, & definitely chickens. you might want to try thyme or rosemary bushes, although no guarantees from me they'll be left alone because they're obviously edible. again perhaps unhelpfully (sorry!), the other thing we have growing in their yards that they absolutely won't eat is native grasses (australian). these grasses are really dry, stringy & tough & you might be able to find something equally stringy & tough locally. if it looks impossible to eat to you, it just might be something they will leave alone too. :-)

my chooks have a lot of space for rummaging about, but they (& i) really do prefer it when the ground is completely covered (with straw, old weeds, leaves etc). it helps keep flies away from the poo due to turnover, but it also means there are worms & bugs near the surface for them to find, and as well as fun for them it's better for the humans visually; that "moonscape" look is pretty depressing ;-)

chooks also like to be able to climb up things (somewhat depending on species, & i have some actual flyers, but they all do it) - put in some big branches or make them a structure for climbing up to purvey the scene. again it's fun for them & more visually appealing for you. i also have a chair and some tall stumps in there which are notionally for me to sit on when i am having a quiet moment with the chooks, but it all helps to keep them amused ;-)


Yes yes yes! I've just had the big outdoor run built (in addition to the covered deep-litter run) and it's an adventure playground. They like tyres, and I figure by throwing some of the weeds into the tyres there will be worms which can hide under the lower edge of the tyres and do a bit of surreptitious munching when the chooks aren't looking! Haven't got the chair yet... don't they poop all over it? But I spend ages in the run, just hanging out, you know.


something i was interested by recently is that i put peas & beans growing around the outside of their yard - they eat the pea plants if they can reach them (bah) but won't eat the bean plants despite them being enticingly close.
kylie



The beans haven't come up :-(

I've planted climbing roses and black currants. It should be easy to peg nets onto the wire netting of the run, to cover the currants when they are ripening.

A L P
.

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