Providing opportunity to forage or at least search for insects within some foliage is important for every chicken’s health and wellbeing. Free-ranging aside, there are many ways to implement plants into your flock’s routine—even containers and a rotation of select potted plants will provide nourishment and entertainment inside their run. Kate Richards is a passionate gardener, cocktail maker, and chicken wrangler. She explains the four most important things to consider when pairing garden plant with poultry.
Forage Zone
© Kate E. Richards/drinkingwithchickens.com
When it comes to a surrounding garden, a foraging area is ideal to include around your coop, especially if you aren’t wanting the chooks to treat your own veggie garden like their own private salad bar. Where the space for two completely separate growing areas isn’t realistic in most urban or suburban areas, she suggests incorporating garden structures and hardscaping such as tall raised beds, protective cloches, fencing, and edging into the mix. The more obstacles your chickens have, the less widespread damage they’ll be able to inflict upon your own garden.
No Tox…
