The 2 Best Fruit Trees for Chicken Runs: Holistic Design in the Orchard

When we design holistically, our gardens are more resilient, function better, save us money and energy. I grow two types of fruit trees in my poultry run specifically because the chickens and ducks provide a benefit to the fruit trees AND the fruit trees provide a benefit right back to the poultry. And I get loads of organic fruit and eggs as well!
Figs: Negronne and Desert King
Mulberry: Illinois Everbearing
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[@kalirussell5982]

When you said 40 fruit trees in 1/4 acre, it was really helpful to me that you also said you do a lot of pruning. I am learning so much from your channel!

[@buckaroobonzai2909]

Br0, look up espalier. Its a european style for urbanites of getting trees to grow flat. You get a lot of fruit. Great for pots or in ground to create a living boundary. Its not exactly bonsai, but also not exactly topiary, and not really agriculture either. You can do ut anywhere, it looks nice, and is productive. Good luck, man.

[@francescapoteet5481]

We were very lucky to be gifted 10 fig bushes and three starts this summer and at least as many blueberry bushes. We’re running out of places to out them! I’m glad to know our chickens will benefit from them as well as us. We have three or four different varieties- turkey figs being the only one we were told the variety of. The gentleman that gave them said he acquired them from another person who didn’t know what kind they were.

[@sparrowgarden1401]

We purposefully put oir chickenrun around our persimmon tree. They eat the leaves and the fruit and enjoy the shelter.. we have since expanded our chicken run and have planted peach, plum, elderberry, nectarine, pomegranate, apple. It also has blackberries growing wild and we will be planting mulberry, pear, gojiberry and fig this fall. We also have ducks and I move the duckpool around, so that each ttree gets watered with the soiled pool water.

[@PurePondering]

I need to plant a new fig or two and hadn't thought about putting them in the chicken yard. Thank you for that. The very strong wind that we have near-constantly killed the last one I tried to plant, but I have a space in my chicken yard that would be sheltered to the north, south, and west. I planted my mulberry in the corner of the back yard, far enough from the fence to be safe from the goats but close enough that the goats will be able to trim lower limbs once it is large. The chickens jump the fence between the chicken yard and the goat yard, then into the back yard, so they will enjoy the mulberries. :-)

[@annebird9195]

Theres definitely something to having trees around to let them hide from predators. I let them out of the run while I was planting an apple and a mulberry in the yard I'm making for them. Just in the 2 ish hours they were free in my open yard a group of 15 vouchers started circling. Kinda eye opening thing of the day.

[@deirdre444]

Not only do we love figs and mulberries but we are about to construct a chicken run for our new chickens. Thanks to your suggestion, we will plant our little potted fig trees within the confines of the run. Such a great idea. Thank you for this video. :)

[@Iris_van_Vulpen]

Thank you! We are going to build our chicken pen this autumn and I'm researching what to plant in it to give our chickens the best life I can give them.

[@keelijudge5074]

Oh wow, just found your chanel. We are hoping to get chickens this spring. We live on a 2 acher desert plot. I've been researching regenerative agriculture/permaculture and want to plant some food forests. The previous owners planted 12 tree orchard plus 5 ash trees along the edge. (The ash tree disease has just hit the other side of town so the likelihood is that we will loose the ash frees in the next few years). We've just woodchipped the orchard bit and I'm looking at interplanting some mulberries and different companion plants for the fruit trees as well as some larger trees that will shade them. Once we had chickens I was planning on seeing if we could move them around the property to fetalise the soil but was thinking that I'd do that with the profilers rather than the layers. I never thought of creating a food forest for them. We have birds of pray around here so i am intrigued that the trees could help protect them. Also the trees will provide them with the much needed shade. Oh I'm so excited. Going to start researching and planning a permanent chicken orchard.

[@marisasanchez1699]

I would love to see a video on all the things that you feed your chickens and ducks 🙏🏼 For example, do you supplement with chicken pellets or grains? Or do they just forage?

[@kellysoo]

I would love to soon NOT having to buy feeds. I was finally given the opportunity to do permaculture lifestyle and food forest. This was about 7 months ago. So the trees are not producing fruit. But we are determine. We first put down pigeon peas. Of course my mix flocks love love love pigeon peas. Firm believer of not having to source feeds elsewhere.

[@lawrencelawrence3920]

I have both a white and purple mulberry tree and they produce a massive amount of fruit. I often thought that they would be perfect for a chicken run. Wild birds seem to enjoy them so chickens should

[@Generic85578]

This is so helpful for a newbie like me. Thank you!

[@Taking_Back_Thyme]

My concern about growing fruit trees (northeast Tennessee) is that I may not get enough sun because we have so many tall trees on our property.

[@girlmeetsmeeple5415]

This was a great video! Thank you. I would love to hear more about what your chickens eat and what else you grow for them. We had chickens before our last move, but my husband is reluctant to get more when we finally find a new home because he says they don’t earn their keep because of the cost of feed. I’d love tips to cut down in that!

[@stephanied9112]

Check out edible acres they do still supplement with feed but they cut down on the bill by sprouting their feed and obtaining kitchen scraps from restaurants..

[@victoriawolfe686]

Just noticed you hit 12K subscribers today! Congrats! 🎉🎊🍾🎈

[@GraftingTactick]

You have such a beautiful orchard 💕💕👌🥭🍋🍒🍐🍈

[@denaboyd8058]

Great ideas in this video!

[@jdjz62]

Excellent Video! Great instructions. Thanks for the ideas!

[@kellysoo]

Thank you for this video.

[@Kay-xi9kv]

So helpful to learn theses things before I get chickens, thanks!

[@kellysoo]

Funny you did this video. I had the exact choice of trees in my chicken coop/ yard. I guess it is o my my intuition as I do practise permaculture gardening/ food forest manisfesto. 😊

[@KeBuNTiNNairAINDONESIA]

Thank you

[@geraldinehayes124]

Fantastic information thank you

[@nagasvoice8895]

Great ideas, thank you. I've been wondering about planting trees or vines inside the chicken run, this will be a big help.

[@gardenstatesowandsew]

Thank you for sharing. ❤ I’m new to chickens

[@Jo-ki3mj]

I enjoyed that, thank you, Angela. Don't have any ducks or chickens, but can live in hope! That one negronne fig looked like a duck at 5:40!

[@scottgreen5824]

Inspiring

[@deannarogers4706]

Great, interesting. Where is your apple trees? I have a walnut tree, but use the nuts. They are very hard.

[@carolecolquhoun7551]

I have a chicken that likes to peck my toes, I call her Peck'n' Boots - I like to believe she is grooming me because she loves me so much :)

[@rdefaoite9413]

That’s sweet! Do you still have her? Does she still peck your toes?

[@kristimckeon6967]

I too would love to hear about how you feed your poultry. I desperately want to get as far from market grain as possible.

[@beebop9808]

My birds make a snack of fig leaves everyday. Not too much but they always hit them. Don't know why they like that caustic sap but maybe it helps with intestinal parasites? Not knowing......

[@alexandraderry7086]

Wonderful! You also have raspberries in another area where the chickens run too?

[@LivadaBio]

!!! 👍👍👍 SUPER !!! 👍👍👍 SUPER !!! !!! 👍👍👍 SUPER !!! 👍👍👍 SUPER !!!

[@jeanniemilewski]

I am building a chicken enclosure in my backyard. It is going to be 7 feet tall. What are the best trees to put in there? The chicken run is 20‘ x 30‘. There will be nine chickens in there. There is already a coop established in there. I was also thinking of putting rabbits in there. But what are the best fruits and vegetables to grow? And which ones are the best that have vines? So they’ll grow up the sides and then over the top?

[@meggo6673]

Hi, I’m curious what you use to protect your trees roots? Our chicken yard is our orchard as well. I love having them share the space but they do scratch and dig near the base of the trees. Anytime I mulch the trees with bark chips, the chickens spread them everywhere. We have apples, mulberries, cherries, plum, quince, lavender, mint and many roses. I’d also love to hear what else you have planted. And thank you for this video!

[@melissab8500]

I used scrap tile, worked really well

[@annettebarron7224]

Do your chickens fly into the trees to eat your fruit?

[@vry3555]

Are apples good for poultry?

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Yes, but ducks can't eat them. they need soft fruit. I have found my chickens will clean up fallen apples bc they can peck at them, but they aren't that efficient at it.

[@dispmonk]

😂 never heard someone say the same things over and over and over and over and over again. This could’ve been a two minute video

[@meggo6673]

Rude

[@joannewolfe5688]

Well some people new to permie need to have things explained clearly and repeated a few times. I did not find this video repetitive. I agree with Meggo, your comment was rude and unnecessary. Just move on.