[SUTTY1]

 :DI've had 6 exbats on my alotment since august, they have their own secure run 12x8feet but i like to let them roam as much as possible.(they deserve it) Been a real pain protecting plants,lol. So decided to fence up area including compost bins, shed, junky stuff etc but wiill have a bed 15 by 15 any ideas on flowers,plants or herbs that would/might survive the onslaught greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MERRY Christmas ALL

Steve

[SUTTY1]

or vegitables :happy: :happy:

[beulah59]

Anything prickly? My gooseberry bush is fine!! Not sure if it will last once there's fruit on it, though 

[dizzylizzie]

mine ate everything apart from geraniums

[bee]

Mine don't eat poppy leaves, but they went for foxgloves, even after it made one of them really sleepy. They leave geraniums alone, didn't touch chilies, or strawberry leaves. Assume they would have eaten the strawberries, however, but got the chooks after the season. Not keen on tomato leaves, but like tomatoes, green or otherwise. Both chickens are very enthusiastic gardeners in terms of turning over soil, so no good near any young plants. I found once the plants were taller than the chickens, they were left untouched.

[LadyPluck]

Mine have eaten all the leaves off my strawbs

[8doubles]

The problem is that plants they don`t eat they dig out to get to the worms underneath. Low coniferous plants last well but the chooks will sneak under these and lay their eggs where you cannot steal them as easily. 

[Fredjones]

I have had my vine striped, bay bush is nearly gone, now they are starting on rosemary, nothing left in garden, i am going to fence half of my garden so i can grow spuds and cabbage.

[raeburg]

Mine have now started on the lavender bushes... Fragrant eggs perhaps

[joyfull]

You mean yours are laying!! mine have stopped since we have had the snow 

[Flowerpower136]

Mine are still laying, and are quite fussy about what they eat.

Turn their beaks up at the usual, eg lettuce and broccoli.  They do eat poppy leaves that seed in the stone wall, but don't get chance with foxgloves - I pull them out first (don't think they are good for chucks). 

I'm quite happy for them to rummage through the compost bins, but have separate closed bins for chicken 'debris', and separate bins in another part of the garden for anything that might harm - eg poisonous, spikey.

I've a couple of shrubs in my hen run, and they've survived, through a bit bare up to chicken height.  There is a bit of hopping and grabbing that goes on, but not enough to strip the leaves higher up, so if you want greenery, perhaps try woody shrubs, or by trial and error find perennials etc that they don't like.  I think it is very much down to individual taste, just as  it is with peeps.

[SUTTY1]

SORRY LATE ANSWERING YOU ALL, AND THANKS FOR THE HELP. SOUNDS LIKE MY ONLY CHOICE SHRUBERY OR POSS SOME FRUIT TREES.!!  CAN TELL YOU MINE ATE THE GOOSEBERRYS ONCE THEY RIPE:)

[dizzylizzie]

Your shouting.....you dont need to we are listerning

[death of rats]

They dont eat box hedging. holly is ok, Russian vine is eaten as far up as the chickens can jump.
I have a plant that they dont eat it has shiny leaves and looks quite holly like but isnt I think it is a type of viburnum. Bamboo is stripped, They ate the rushes round the pond but the ducks got the ivy. It is a case of experimenting. Firethorn seems to survive and the big evergreen white clematis seems to be ok also.
It is trial and error cause they will lull you into a false sense of security and then strip the plant bare.

[8doubles]

It is trial and error cause they will lull you into a false sense of security and then strip the plant bare.

True,
I am starting to think that hens are psychic. Three times i`ve looked at plants and thought ' they haven`t  destroyed that plant yet' , 30 mins later it`s gone.