Backyard Chicken Garden: 100+ Safe Plants Your Flock Will Love!

Chickens in your backyard can be such a wonderful thing! They'll give you fresh eggs every day, and they'll help you reduce your household waste. But wait, there's more! By adding your chickens to your garden, you can create a beautiful, harmonious, and productive ecosystem. It's important to plan ahead, though, to make sure your chickens and your plants are safe and comfortable. This guide is here to help you learn everything you need to know to create a beautiful, chicken-friendly garden.

Choosing Chicken-Safe Plants

Before you let your chickens play in your garden, it's important to make sure that all the plants are safe for them to enjoy. Chickens are such curious creatures, and they're always exploring, so it's essential to check if they can eat the plants in your garden.

Here's a helpful list of plants that are usually safe for chickens to enjoy:

Trees and Shrubs

• Serviceberry: Offers both leaves and berries as a food source for your chickens.
• Mulberry: Provides nutritious leaves and berries.
• Siberian Pea Shrub: A hardy shrub that offers both leaves and peas for your chickens to enjoy.
• Goji Berry: Produces nutritious fruit and leaves.
• Currant Bushes: Once established and without fruit, currant bushes can provide a safe foraging environment for your chickens.
• Rose of Sharon: A beautiful and safe flowering shrub for your chicken-friendly garden.
• Camellias: These flowering shrubs are generally safe for chickens.

Remember to protect young trees and shrubs, such as serviceberry, mulberry, and goji berry, until they are well-established to prevent damage from your chickens. You can also protect young plants like millet and sunflowers until they reach at least two feet in height.

Leafy Greens

• Chard/Kale/Lettuce: These leafy greens are a favorite among chickens.
• Broccoli Greens: While you enjoy the broccoli heads, your flock can feast on the nutritious greens.
• Arugula, Kale, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard: All these greens are loved by chickens, and dark leafy greens can result in darker, richer egg yolks.

Herbs

• Basil: A versatile herb that is safe for chickens.
• Oregano: A common herb that offers potential health benefits for your flock.
• Wormwood: This herb can be safely incorporated into your chicken garden.
• Lavender: A fragrant herb that can be used for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
• Mint: A refreshing herb that is safe for chickens.
• Catnip: This herb is known for its effect on cats, but it is also safe for chickens.
• Bay Leaves: These aromatic leaves can be safely included in your chicken garden.
• Chamomile: A soothing herb that is safe for chickens.
• Fennel: This herb can be safely incorporated into your chicken-friendly garden.
• Parsley: A popular herb that is safe for chickens.
• Rosemary: This aromatic herb is safe for chickens.
• Tarragon: A flavorful herb that is safe for chickens.
• Marjoram: A fragrant herb that is safe for chickens.
• Cilantro: This herb is a good source of vitamins and is safe for chickens.
• Thyme: This herb can help battle parasites, stimulate laying, and promote healthy respiratory systems in chickens.
• Sage: This herb is known for its antioxidant and overall health benefits for chickens.

Root Vegetables

• Carrots: Chickens enjoy both the carrots and the nutritious green tops. The beta-carotene in carrots can also enhance the color of your chickens’ egg yolks.

Other Edibles

• Asparagus: A healthy vegetable that is safe for chickens.
• Beets: Chickens can enjoy both the beets and the greens.
• Broccoli: While you enjoy the broccoli heads, your chickens can safely eat the leaves and stems.
• Brussels Sprouts: These vegetables are safe for chickens.
• Cabbage: A nutritious vegetable that is safe for chickens.
• Cucumbers: These refreshing vegetables are safe for chickens.
• Peas: A good source of protein for your flock.
• Bell Peppers: These colorful vegetables are safe for chickens.
• Pumpkins: A nutritious treat for your chickens, especially in the fall.
• Squash: Both summer and winter squash are safe for chickens.
• Garlic: This pungent vegetable is safe for chickens and may offer some health benefits.
• Onions: Onions are safe for chickens in moderation.
• Leeks: These onion relatives are also safe for chickens.
• Jerusalem Artichoke: Both the leaves and roots of this plant are safe for chickens.
• Indian Rice Grass: This grass can be a safe addition to your chicken garden.
• Alfalfa: A nutritious legume that can be grown as a forage crop for chickens.
• Prickly Pear Fruit: This fruit can be a tasty treat for your chickens.
• Common Mallow: This plant is safe for chickens.
• Horehound: While not a preferred food, horehound can provide some green forage for chickens, especially in winter.
• Rhubarb: Chickens may occasionally eat the young leaves without harm, but the mature leaves are toxic.
• Climbing Beans: Once established, climbing beans can provide a safe foraging environment for your chickens.

In addition to providing a variety of safe plants, it’s essential to offer grit to your chickens. Grit is composed of small, hard particles, such as granite or oyster shells, that help chickens grind their food in their gizzards, aiding in digestion.

This list is not exhaustive, and it’s always best to double-check the safety of any plant before allowing your chickens access to it.

Companion Planting for a Mutually Beneficial Garden

Companion planting involves strategically placing different plants together to enhance their growth and protect them from pests. This technique can be particularly beneficial in a chicken-friendly garden, as certain plants can benefit both your chickens and your vegetables.

Benefits of Companion Planting:

• Improved soil fertility: Legumes like clover and alfalfa fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting nearby vegetables while providing nutritious foraging for chickens. For example, you can intersperse clover among your vegetable beds. As chickens forage on the clover, they’ll aerate the soil and leave behind natural fertilizer, benefiting your vegetable crops.
• Natural pest control: Aromatic herbs like mint and lavender can repel pests, protecting your vegetable crops while offering health benefits to your chickens. Planting these herbs near susceptible crops can help deter pests naturally.
• Weed suppression: Ground covers like clover can help suppress weeds, reducing your workload while providing a source of protein and minerals for your chickens.
• Shade and shelter: Taller plants like sunflowers can provide shade for your chickens and vegetables, especially during hot summer months.

Specific Plant Pairings:

Plant 1	Plant 2	Benefits
Broccoli	Onions	These vegetables grow well together and are both safe for chickens.
Chard/Kale/Lettuce		Plant these leafy greens in close proximity and share the bounty with your flock.
Calendula		This hardy plant grows easily and provides edible flowers for your chickens, which can enhance the color of their egg yolks.

 

Plants with Mutual Benefits

Some plants offer benefits to both your chickens and your vegetable garden. These plants can play a crucial role in creating a balanced and thriving ecosystem.

• Thyme: This herb helps battle parasites in chickens, stimulates laying, and promotes healthy respiratory systems. In the garden, it can act as a natural insect repellent.
• Calendula: This flower not only provides edible petals for your chickens, which can enhance the color of their egg yolks, but it also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can be beneficial for treating minor injuries in your flock.

Chicken-Friendly Flowers

Incorporating flowers into your chicken-friendly garden can add beauty and provide additional benefits for your flock. Here are some flowers that are safe and potentially beneficial for chickens:

• Echinacea: Also known as coneflower, echinacea is known for its immune-boosting properties and can be a valuable addition to your chicken garden.
• Bee Balm: This fragrant flower is a member of the mint family and is safe for chickens.
• Marigolds: These vibrant flowers not only add color to your garden but also act as a natural insect repellent and can enhance the color of your chickens’ egg yolks.
• Nasturtiums: These colorful flowers are edible for both humans and chickens and are thought to have natural worming and antibiotic properties.
• Sunflowers: These tall plants provide shade and a source of entertainment for your chickens, who will enjoy pecking at the seeds. Sunflower seeds are also excellent chicken snacks.

Beneficial Herbs for Chickens

Herb	Benefits for Chickens	Benefits for the Garden
Lavender	Stress reliever, increases blood circulation, insecticide	Repels insects, adds fragrance
Rosemary	Pain reliever, enhances respiratory health, insecticide	Repels insects, adds fragrance
Oregano	Combats coccidia, salmonella, strengthens immune system	Repels insects, culinary herb
Mint	Insecticide, rodent repellent, antioxidant, aids in respiratory health	Repels insects, culinary herb
Thyme	Insect repellent, good for respiratory health	Repels insects, culinary herb
Sage	Promotes general health, antioxidant	Culinary herb, deters pests

 

Protecting Your Garden

While chickens can be valuable assets in the garden, they can also cause damage to your plants if not managed properly. Here are some strategies to protect your garden from your flock:

• Fencing: Use chicken wire or other suitable fencing to create a barrier between your chickens and vulnerable plants. Chicken-friendly fencing should be at least 4 feet high to prevent chickens from escaping.
• Netting: Use netting to cover individual plants or rows of crops to protect them from chickens.
• Rocks and Mulch: Place rocks or mulch around the base of plants to discourage chickens from scratching and digging them up.
• Raised Beds: Growing plants in raised beds can make them less accessible to chickens.
• Container Gardening: Grow plants in containers to protect them from chickens and to add visual interest to your garden.
• Chicken Tractors: These movable pens allow you to control where your chickens graze and forage in the garden.

Utilizing Chicken Tractors

Chicken tractors are a valuable tool for integrating chickens into your garden. These portable pens allow you to confine your chickens to a specific area, giving you greater control over their impact on your plants.

Benefits of Chicken Tractors:

• Controlled Grazing: You can move the chicken tractor to different areas of your garden, allowing your chickens to graze on weeds, pests, and cover crops while protecting your vegetable plants.
• Soil Improvement: As chickens forage within the tractor, they’ll till the soil, fertilize it with their manure, and help control pests.
• Flexibility: You can easily move the chicken tractor to different parts of your garden as needed, allowing you to target specific areas for soil improvement or weed control.

Design Considerations:

• Size and Construction: Chicken tractors can be built in various sizes and designs, depending on your needs and the number of chickens you have.
• Mobility: Ensure that the tractor is lightweight and easy to move.
• Protection: The tractor should provide adequate protection from predators and the elements.

Designing a Functional and Productive Chicken Garden

Creating a garden that accommodates both chickens and vegetables requires careful planning and design. Here are some key considerations:

• Designated areas: Define clear boundaries for your chickens, such as a fenced chicken run or designated foraging areas within the garden. This allows for controlled access to crops and prevents damage to sensitive plants.
• Shelter and dust baths: Provide a sturdy, secure chicken coop in a dry area, out of direct sunlight. Include an attached, secured chicken run for exercise and controlled access to the garden. Offer dust bathing areas with dry sand or dirt for feather and skin health.
• Vertical gardening: Utilize vertical space by growing vining plants on trellises or in hanging baskets. This keeps plants out of reach of chickens while maximizing your garden’s productivity.
• Water Supply: Ensure a constant supply of clean, fresh water for your chickens in the garden and coop, especially on hot days.

Integrating Chickens into an Existing Garden

If you already have an established vegetable garden, you can still integrate your chickens with some adjustments and precautions:

• Gradual introduction: Start by allowing your chickens limited access to the garden, perhaps for a short period each day. Observe their behavior and make adjustments as needed.
• Seasonal timing: Introduce chickens to the garden at the beginning of the season to help dig up grubs and till the soil. You can also let them in at the end of the season to clean up fallen produce and leftover pests.
• Cover crops: Plant cover crops in designated areas to provide supplemental forage for your chickens and improve soil health. Cover crops can also help suppress weeds and prevent soil erosion.

Benefits of Chickens in the Garden

Integrating chickens into your garden offers a range of benefits:

• Pest control: Chickens are natural predators of many garden pests, including slugs, snails, and insects.
• Fertilization: Chicken manure is a valuable source of organic fertilizer, enriching the soil and promoting plant growth.
• Weed management: Chickens can help control weeds by scratching and pecking at them.
• Soil aeration: Chickens’ scratching and digging aerate the soil, improving drainage and root growth. This is beneficial because it allows for better water and nutrient absorption by the plant roots.
• Composting: Chickens can help break down kitchen scraps and garden waste, contributing to your compost pile.

Now that you know all the benefits of raising chickens in your backyard, why not start hatching your own chicks with a high-quality egg incubator? Check out our selection of incubators to find the perfect one for your needs!

 

Creating a Chicken Forage Garden

A chicken forage garden is designed to provide a natural and diverse food source for your flock. It encourages natural foraging behaviors and provides a stimulating environment for your chickens.

Key elements of a chicken forage garden:

• Variety of plants: Include a mix of grasses, legumes, herbs, and flowers that provide a range of nutrients and textures for your chickens.
• Cover crops: Plant cover crops to provide seasonal forage and improve soil health.
• Fruit trees and shrubs: Plant fruit trees and berry bushes to provide shade, shelter, and occasional treats for your chickens.
• Dust bathing areas: Create areas with dry sand or dirt for dust bathing.
• Secure fencing: Protect your chickens from predators with secure fencing.
• Ground Covers: Incorporate ground covers to prevent soil erosion, suppress weeds, and add visual interest to the garden. Some ground covers, like clover, are also edible for chickens.

Plants to Avoid!

While many plants are safe for chickens, some are toxic and should be avoided in your garden. Here’s a table with examples of plants that are poisonous to chickens:

Plant	Toxic Parts	Potential Effects
Azalea	All parts	Digestive upset, weakness, loss of coordination, cardiac damage
Black Locust	All parts	Weakness, tremors, paralysis
Bracken Fern	All parts	Internal bleeding, anemia
Buttercup	All parts	Mouth irritation, diarrhea
Castor Bean	All parts	Severe digestive upset, liver damage, death
Cherry Laurel	All parts	Respiratory distress, death
Clematis	All parts	Mouth irritation, digestive upset
Daffodil	All parts	Vomiting, diarrhea, tremors
Daphne	All parts	Mouth and throat irritation, digestive upset
Foxglove	All parts	Heart problems, death
Hemlock	All parts	Paralysis, respiratory failure, death
Honeysuckle	All parts	Vomiting, diarrhea
Hydrangea	All parts	Digestive upset
Ivy	All parts	Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness
Lantana	All parts	Liver damage
Lily of the Valley	All parts	Heart problems, death
Mexican Poppy	All parts	Digestive upset
Monkshood	All parts	Paralysis, death
Mountain Laurel	All parts	Weakness, paralysis, death
Nightshade	All parts	Digestive upset, nervous system damage
Oak	Acorns and leaves	Kidney and liver damage
Oleander	All parts	Heart problems, death
Rhododendron	All parts	Weakness, paralysis, death
Rhubarb	Leaves	Kidney damage
Sweet Pea	All parts, especially seeds	Weakness, paralysis
Tobacco	All parts	Weakness, paralysis, death
Tulip	Bulbs	Digestive upset
Wisteria	All parts	Vomiting, diarrhea
Yew	All parts	Sudden death

This is not an exhaustive list, and it’s always best to research any plant you’re unsure about before introducing it to your chicken garden.

Conclusion: Safe your Chicken!

Creating a chicken-friendly garden is a rewarding endeavor that can enhance your gardening experience and provide numerous benefits for your flock. By carefully selecting chicken-safe plants, utilizing companion planting techniques, and implementing protective measures, you can create a harmonious and productive ecosystem where your chickens and your garden thrive together.

Start planning your chicken-friendly garden today! Explore different plant options, research companion planting strategies, and consider incorporating chicken tractors for greater control and flexibility. With careful planning and management, you can enjoy the many rewards of a garden that benefits both you and your feathered friends.

For more information and resources on chicken-friendly gardening, check out these helpful websites:

• https://poultrykeeper.com/
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/
• https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/
• https://www.growveg.com/
• https://www.theseedcollection.com.au/

Ready to experience the joy of hatching your own chicks and raising your flock? Get started today with a reliable egg incubator.