[wildwitchy]

Can anyone recommend any "chicken/poultry proof" plants. As I'm building the pond & generally doing the back garden I'd like a bit of greenery & colour. It's looking very brown and grey out there! Quite depressing for someone that likes lots of colour!!

[Vember]

Hi Ww

I've popped you over to Hen House, as it is a question 

I think amount of room & grass the birds have plays a huge part in what goes untouched also size of plants put in the ground
I find a lot of my plants have gone untouched with the exception of the mombrisha, I hate it anyway so that doesn't bother me but they obviously love it

I have hydrangers, escallonia, californian lilac, fusia's etc.... none get touched but these were already well established prior to the birds going on those areas


Sarah

[wildwitchy]

Thanks sarah, I never quite know where to post things! So apologies that you have move things!

I have a big rose bush but all the bottom leaves have gone, same with a climbing passion flower plant. Recently bought a few small conifers & cordiliners (sp.) - those long purple spiky things for round the pond.

[Vember]

Don't apologize, that's what i'm here for

The cordyline leaves will get nibbled especially by the ducks who will drag the leaves in to or as near the water as possible  
Conifers will be ok until new growth starts to appear then if un protected they will get eaten if not by the chooks and ducks then the geese

Could you pot them rather than ground plant? That way you can move them around

Anything new and small "ish" is at risk sadly

A plant they love to mess in but I've not seen them eat is pampass grass the ducks love hiding in ours But again near water the ducks will pull at the leaves I would imagine

Sarah

[wildwitchy]

yes thats true, ive a pampas up the top that the chooks hide in. I think its a losing battle with trying to get a decent looking garden and have poultry. 

I.E.  FORGET IT. 

[NigelB]

I have a rather large clump of Chives in the chicken run. I moved it in there when it outgrew it's position in the flower bed. I fully expected the chickens to eat it, but there it is, large as life and twice as ugly. It's even full of flowers just now.
I have no idea what Ducks would make of it though, but soup is my first guess.

[Stree]

Geese and chicken victims. lettuce, tomato, sweetpea, carrot tops. spuds, ( haulms)
nasturtiumn, night scented stock, peas, ... some they will devour, others they will just try, but destroy in trying........
I am seriously thinking about goose and gander pies......... The hens I can keep in a run, the geese need to be on the grass. and thats where the borders and veg beds are..