Plants to provide shade in chicken run?

[Sue]

I want to plant something in my chicken run to provide shade for the hens. Does anyone have any advice as to what to use, it obviously needs to be 'safe' for the hens in case they eat it. I want something that is fast growing and will provide a shelter/shade underneath. I put one of my acers in there that is in a pot, but they started eating it and as it's worth about £300 I decided to take it out again!!!! I would welcome any suggestions.

 

[Chuck]

There's not much that will survive in a chicken pen if they can get to it. Fruit trees are good as you get the bonus of the fruit but the trunk needs protecting. I've got apple, pear and cherry. Willow will survive if given protection until it grows enough to be out of reach; fast growing of course. Clumps of nettles survive as long as they get a good start and attract a nice lot of insects. Pampas grass with some protection to the lower part survived in two pens but not in the third ! I found some bamboo growing in the garden of a derelict house and have planted some of that.

Anything newly planted and they need to be kept away from the root area or it gets dug up !

 

[animartco]

I want to plant something in my chicken run to provide shade for the hens. Does anyone have any advice as to what to use, it obviously needs to be 'safe' for the hens in case they eat it. I want something that is fast growing and will provide a shelter/shade underneath. I put one of my acers in there that is in a pot, but they started eating it and as it's worth about £300 I decided to take it out again!!!! I would welcome any suggestions.

Hi Sue. I can't add much to Chuck's excellent advice. Nettles are the quintessential addition to any chicken run, but were you asking about shrubs and trees? I think hazel is the best. If they get short of added greenery from the kitchen they can climb up into the tree and eat the leaves. Almost any native tree is good really, except perhaps ash. If you are looking for a quick screen - cupressus. One thing to definitely avoid is laburnum, and perhaps to be on the safe side avoid any leguminous garden shrub. I don't know if anyone knows of any specific plant that has been known to poison chicken?

 

[Sue]

Thank you for your ideas, but I was looking more for something to grow in pots that would hang over the edge and create a sort of low mushroom shape (such as a weeping willow effect) so they could shelter underneath, but wouldn't be able to dig it up because it would be in a big pot. Like I say I tried the acer, but I need something cheaper and fast growing. I know they will eat some of it, but hopefully not all!