Can Plants Survive In The Chicken Run? These Ones Can!

[@roblena7977]

Sunflowers are great chickens love running around under them.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Mine do too!

[@matthewpetersen4417]

Grazing box!!!!!!!!! What a great Idea!!!! We did pickles this year but it was what the chickens kicked out and grew, petco has a bag of seeds for chickens that have great viable seeds, watermelons, pickles, sunflower ,squash pumpkins etc.

[@dr.lucikidd2208]

New sub here and I am grateful to have found your channel. I have a small flock of about a dozen and grow a large veggie garden every summer. I’m in colorado and it gets hot in the summer. Your video has inspired me to grow Armenian cukes over my chicken run to provide shade and a refreshing treat for my girls. The run is only 4 ft tall but i think it would look fabulous with this. I am working on planting some narrow garden beds on the outside periphery to grow nasturtiums, oregano and comfrey. Of course, i will protect the roots/base of plants. I have enjoyed watching many or your videos-Thanks!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

We love to hear that people are inspired by our videos, and happy to hear you are enjoying your farm!

[@mysparky2011]

Wonderful ideas. Loved the shirts! Thank-you

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

You are so welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@lindabirmingham603]

I put a 2 - 3'circle of flexible plastic chicken fencing from Tractor Supply around the root zone of the evergreen shrubs in my chicken run. You can get rolls of 2 or 3' high. It is cheap, long lasting, and doesnt hurt their feet. Just keeps them from digging up the shrubs.They are all doing great.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for the tip!

[@larrylewis3573]

Dear Brian and Steve, Thank you again for a very informative program to help raise chickens in a confined area. Lots of very good ideas to make life better for both the chickens and their owners. Sincerely, Larry Lewis Ontario, Canada.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you enjoyed it Larry!

[@janetbarocco]

My chickens love borage flowers and buds, lemon balm, thyme and violet flowers. Herbs like these are pretty tough but you need to cover the roots with bricks/pavers, as you say. I have also planted raspberry and currant bushes and artichokes along the fence run. Thanks for the great video!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for sharing!

[@chriswillock2177]

Been looking for something to put in the one run I have. Chickens have it down to bare dirt. The other runs have native bushes and tall grass. Beautiful condition. Plenty of shad and cover and lots of tall grass. I kept the birds fenced off from the main run till mid spring to allow the grass a good start and the bushes to bloom. And not over crowding the runs is a huge benefit.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing!

[@mikereid2865]

Nice timing guys. I'm in the throws of building a new chicken house and run. I'll give the plants a try, thanks 😂

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Good luck!

[@solovable1ify]

I've used old pallets stacked and some hardware cloth for plant boxes. It works great, especially when planting winter hardy grasses and plants.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great idea!

[@aaronhopkins6697]

Grazing boxes, I'll be making some tomorrow. Thanks.

[@bluefoxblitz8416]

These are great ideas, thanks. My chooks used to run around freely in the backyard and then return to the chicken shed at night to be locked in. They preferred the bushes to nesting boxes in hot Aussie summer. The kids used to throw rocks at old piles of eggs to create stink bombs. Little buggers😂

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for sharing!

[@aliciaspears7847]

Hey guys, new sub here. I've read that chickens will not eat rosemary. May be a good option for some people. Also read that you should cover the ground around the roots so the chickens don't destroy the plant by digging beneath it. You could use a couple pavers, bricks, etc.... hope that helps someone. I'm planning on trying it soon

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Chickens are sometimes like people…there are foods that some like and others don’t. But if they will eat rosemary is good for them. And yes…rocks or bricks around the roots can help preserve plants. Thanks for the sub!

[@reneemariscal]

This is very informative video thank yall so much

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Our pleasure!

[@bertsmith5569]

Those shirts are hilarious

[@corncob2701]

Thanks guys, great information!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Our pleasure!

[@BroadShouldersFarm]

I have a Retirement Run set up for my older hens no longer rotating through pasture. I've filled it with Hardy Kiwi vines and hops, and shrubs including hazelnut, elderberry, autumn olive, blackberries, blueberries, and a mulberry tree maintained as a shrub through pruning. They also have a couple fig trees, persimmons, and pears. These plants are protected within 2x4 welded wire rings-protecting the roots from scratching is critical to get them established. Herbaceous plants include lots of mints, lavender, comfrey and Turkish rocket, calendula, multiplier onions, and Malabar spinach which handles the summer heat beautifully. There are some videos up on my channel about this, but lots of this I learned from @edibleacres.

[@timisaac8121]

Great vid!! I put ALOT of partially rotted logs and downed trees, now filled with bugs, in my run. My birds went coo-coo. Thanks for the many ideas you gave me: Native species, peppermint and grape arbor. I have to get busy!! Thanks!!

[@natecus4926]

I like the idea of planting sunflowers with my chickens, I’ll have to get some started to ight

[@brightantwerp]

Great timing. I will extend my chickenrun and wanted to add some plants. Thanks guys!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Our pleasure!

[@OutdoorScienceDad]

Great topic, and great suggestions.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks so much!

[@benruegge9100]

Another great video guys

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mistyscar4460]

Omg love your shirts! Where did you get them?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

I think these both came from teepublic.com The guys weren’t 100% sure, but that is where they think they came from.

[@MosaicHomestead]

I'm building a run without a roof because of hurricane 🌀 season. My chickens free range, but I want them to have shade in the run, my coop is elevated, so there is shade, but I'm planning to put a dwarf peanut banana plant in the run, maybe 2, I can also vine passion fruit or attempt tomatoes.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great ideas!

[@rosewood9839]

My chickens eat marigolds! I’ve never seen anything eat marigolds.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Chickens love them!

[@almostoily7541]

Marigolds are fed to produce darker yolks. Some pasta makers do it I've read.