Edible plants

[Jsto]

I'm hoping this is the right place to put this question.

I've built a window box that I'm mounting and hoping to plant today. As it's on the 'short wall' of our coop and will more than likely be reachable to our girls once they're grown, I would love to fill it with plants that they find appetizing. Something that will also hopefully kind of 'spill out' of the flower box, rather than being nice and tidy within.

Any recommendations? The area is, for the most part, pretty shady during the summer, so it would also have to be something that does well in the shade.

Thanks!

 

[silkiechicken]

Why not try to grow some green beans in it? My pesky hens got to mine last year and I had to fence in the fence I was growing them on as that was the fence that fenced in everything else. Green beans will want to grow up, but if they have nothing to climb onto, they will just fall to the ground.

 

[Jsto]

Thanks

You know, I have never grown green beans before. That just occured to me. I've grown every other veggie under the sun, but no green beans. I may just try that!

 

[Dawn419]

Nasturiums are another good one for them...and us. We enjoy the peppery leaves on sandwiches and in salads.

Will add more as soon as I find my "chicken garden" list.

 

[Jsto]

Quote:
Awesome, thank you very much! It'll be good to have a list as well, because I'm going to have to landscape around the coop eventually and I figured I'd just make it into a "chicken garden" so it can serve two purposes. We have horribly uneven mountain ground so the base of the coop had to be fenagled with bricks and such in order to level it. It's already driving me crazy and the coop isn't even finished.

Rather than starting out thinking they aren't going to get in it and just putting what looks nice (yeah right!), I'm just preparing myself for a garden that *will* be eaten and in need of refreshing/replanting often!

 

[Picco]

Nasturiums arew great and 100% edible. They do better in low nutrient soil. If the soil is too rich you will get all foliage and no flowers. They are very beautiful flowers.

 

[allen wranch]

If your girls can reach the box or jump into it, there won't be anything left in your window box after a few days.

 

[nightshade]

deffiently nasturuims ! they are great also try pickeling cucumbers mine love those as well as any type of squash or pumkins. Pretty much any seeds left over from when I plant our garden gets planted for our animals.( chickens, rabbits, raccoon. ect.)

 

[Jsto]

Quote:
I know, which is why I'm just going to keep refreshing it with stuff I know they would like. I don't think it's low enough for them to really jump into (although I could be wrong) but they can definitely reach any low hangers. Figured I'd just work with it. It is their coop after all.

Thanks for all the tips. I will definitely be picking up some nasturuims!

 

[Dawn419]

Hi Again!

Found my list...it's a collection of edibles for chickens that I found from researching since back in February.

Essex Rape, Millet, Mustard greens, Turnip greens, Winter Radish, White Clover, Chickweed, Sunflowers, edible Amaranths, Kale, Romaine lettuce, Beet tops, shredded Cabbage, Broccoli crowns, Collard greens, Carrot tops and Comfrey leaves.

I'll also be planting around their run with goodies like tomatoes, cukes, squash and garden peas.

Dawn