Plants for chickens

[Heatherschicks1]

I'm making a large chicken run and want to plant some plants and such for the chickens in the run.. Any suggestions for good plants for chickens.

 

[Nupe]

Don't waste your time. Any plant put in your chicken run will be decimated in no time flat. They'll eat it all, including the roots. Nothing lives in a chicken run. If you want them to have fresh greens, take them your scraps or sprout grains (fodder) for them.

 

[Heatherschicks1]

I had assumed the same thing but I am also build a underground green house so aside from learning to grow fodder I want to try to keep up with some of what they take out. I was thinking because I don't know all of what they would eat vines and or small plants. I am looking to make a run between an acre and a half acre so I did t know if there was anything I could plant..

 

[Nupe]

Depending on how many chickens you put in your run will depend on how fast they clear it out but they will clear it out. Once the root systems are dug up, they'll never recover. The newest sprouts will be taken out before ever establishing themselves again since they are the most delicious.

With that much run, if you have few enough chickens, you could try sectioning it and allowing limited access. Then you can reseed when they're done. It will certainly be fertile. Cultivate the soil a bit and broadcast any ground cover such as wheat, barley, clover, alfalfa, etc. Whatever fits your budget, they'll love it.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I left a bunch of plants that were growing in the area that I built my coop and they lasted 1/2 day after putting the chickens in there. The best way to do it is have plants around the coop that they can peck at and get some foliage but not be able to stomp and destroy like they do with plants in the coop.

 

[Heatherschicks1]

Thank you!! Any recommended plants