chicken proof garden plants

[loulabelle]

Hi we've been letting our girls free range in the garden and so far the have eaten every geranium i had and are now using the large patio pots as raised dust baths ( will my deck ever look the same?) I have what i call a mediterrean planting, lavenders, rosemary ( the lavenders and rosemary seem relatively robust) and lots of climbers round the fencing. do any of you know of any plants that chickens are particularly fussed at , as my passion flower is now encased behind chicken wire!
any help would be great
lou
do i just have to resign myself to having either chickens or plants? I' m hoping not

[Totally Scrambled]

So far in their rn the only things they haven't managed to uproot, eat or turn into bare earth are the trees
Dom

[silverback]

A Cactus!... ......even then it probably wouldn't survive!!.

[Tony H]

Plastic one's

[Bristolianbelle]

I had to use an assortment of pea netting and resigned myself to the fact that I no longer had pots on the patio. Although the girls havnt demolished my Acer and Lavender.


From the kitchen window.






I used a screen with pea netting to section off the part of the garden that has some toxic plants and a small pond in it. It's still a work in progress with the garden. I have had the girls since November, so this will be the first spring balancing the girls and garden. Im planning to attatch planters and hanging baskets high up on the walls to add a little colour to the main garden.

[loulabelle]

Thanks for the advice Bristolianbelle, loving the photos think I'm going to have to section areas of the garden off. not sure whether our grass will every recover though!
lou

[Bristolianbelle]

Fortunatly we replaced the lawn (well more weed than grass) a few years ago with chippings. The girls love digging huge holes in it when they free range and all I do when they are back in their Walk-in-Run is go around with a rake to level it back again. I hose it down on a reg basis as well. I used to have a small willow tree in their Walk-in-Run. It used to have leaves on it...... not anymore lol. They use it as a catapult to reach the roof of the coop.

[julie62]

I think the only truly chicken proof plants are large shrubs - they dont bother with lavender but even with that they can damage the roots scratching about - mine just get supervised time in the garden - they always head straight for any bedding plants!

[jackian]

I have hanging baskets all around the fencing ..and one bay tree in a pot on the patio that is still intact.I gave up on the ground except for a few shrubs.

[julieann]

I have an evergreen shrub in a big pot that they haven't touched( not sure what it is)....I think someone mentioned that they dont touch ever greens. My lavender has stayed safe as have dafs. Also there is a buddlia actually in their run which they haven't demolished....they probably will now ive said that, oh and a fake castor oil plant has been spared. Apart from that it is complete desimation, no lawn nothing, they are now in their own large run and I'm going to redo the garden, little

[janepick]

In my Walk-in-Run I have ornamental grass, a spirea and a buddlia which were pretty well established, a rose bush and some cotoneasters. I thought they weren't supposed to like lavender so put loads in pots.........they gobbled it all up.

[Steve the Gas]

Chuck proof plants......

[pepi]

Chuck proof plants......

Yes lou Im afraid its true!
Having said that, my bergenia, helliobores, daffodils, snowdrops, cornflowers, ornamental grasses, michaelmas daisies have all been left untouched. The established shrubs are fine too. But then my girls are far too busy with an acre in which to FR to concentrate on any 1 specific area.

Now that Im gardening, the BEST fun is had when its 'move the flowerpot' game -
I move the flower pots on the patio and hens come FLYING from all over the place
to get at the insects/grubs etc underneath.

[lynniepinnie]

So far in their rn the only things they haven't managed to uproot, eat or turn into bare earth are the trees
Dom

my trees are still intact too but don't even try and walk accross the run or yo'll fall into pits the size the grand canyon!