[BML]

I am in the process of building a chicken run and thought about planting a Pampass Grass.  Can anyone tell me if Chickens can eat the seed without harm.

[8doubles]

I think that pampas leaves could do a lot of damage to hens if they are frightened and do their normal 'run and flap first' think later routine.

[Lindeggs]

My sister had free-ranging hens in an area with lots of pampas grass.  She found that they loved to nest under the big clumps where it was warm and dry, and there was a build-up of dry leaves. 

BUT the dry pampas leaves curl up into tight spirals and more than once she had problems with the leaves tangling around the legs and necks of young chicks.  So beware!

[BML]

I am building a run about six feet wide by twelve feet long for two or maybe three chickens I would like to buy in three months and I thought that if the Pampass Grass was established they would control it by pecking away at the new shoots.  Does that make sense?

[Lindeggs]

Well... the new shoots on pampas grow from the middle of the plant, and even the new shoots are quite tough so I don't know if the hens would control its growth at all. 

Pampas are a pest plant in New Zealand (they out-compete our native toitoi) but I imagine a single plant growing in one end of the coop shouldn't need much controlling and is likely to provide some nice shelter from wind and rain once it's big enough.

[BML]

Right, so I don't want to upset the hens with Pampas Grass.  However, are there any plants that I could use to give them something to peck at?