Plants That Ducks WON'T Eat! (or chickens for that matter)

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Lolliegee

Lolliegee

Songster
11 Years
Dec 8, 2008
331
5
131
Cottage Grove, OR
I would love to plant some greenery, maybe even flowers around the pond we're putting in, but obviously wouldn't want the duckies to make a buffet out of them. Anyone have some suggestions on plants that will work for this? It's in a heavily shaded area too, so they couldn't be ones that need much sun.

Oh, and I may be getting some English Ivy from someone...Would this work?
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chickensioux

chickensioux

Songster
10 Years
Feb 12, 2009
4,229
58
241
Western North Carolina
I have not found anything that the chickens won't destroy. I planted daylilies around my duck pond and they just float in the water and chew on the daylillies.
I do have very large shrubs, crape myrtles, rose of sharon that are up in the chicken yard. I planted them when they were pretty large and put large rocks around the base so the chickens would not scratch at the roots and these have done well.
Good luck
 
Lolliegee

Lolliegee

Songster
11 Years
Dec 8, 2008
331
5
131
Cottage Grove, OR
I have one Rose of Sharon bush, but it's not very big, so I don't know if I'd be able to put that in there. Does anyone know if English Ivy is tasty to ducks or chickens? I just got a whole bunch, that'd I'd love to plant back there if they won't eat it.
 
fowlmood

fowlmood

Songster
10 Years
Jan 28, 2009
198
6
121
northern Michigan
I don't know if they will eat the ivy or not, but they will probably tear it up anyway. The chickens will scratch through any kind of plant material to get to any creepy crawlies that hide in there. The ducks will use their little bills like a bull dozer and root around in the stuff. Sometimes it's not the actual eating of plants that's the problem. Good luck though!!
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Wifezilla

Wifezilla

Positively Ducky
11 Years
Oct 2, 2008
11,199
164
311
Colorado
So far...

Bungie has eaten all the grape leaves and tiny immature grapes off my vines for as far up as he can reach

Bungie and Uno have been seen eating dianthus and russian sage flowers

Not sure who, but someone ate one of my basil plants

Same with my tomatoes

My sedum has been munched by Bungie, Uno and the Welsh Harlequin babies

I have a pretty flowering ground cover that is looking kind of rough right now. Caught Uno in it this morning.

Chrissy and Uno have been seen nibbling on low hanging apple tree leaves. Same with the pear tree.

NOTHING IS SAFE! I have resorted to using wire milk crates, wire cages, and old wire bird houses to keep my plants safe
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Yummm! I love the taste of Magenta!

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Hey sis! These look yummy!
 
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Wifezilla

Wifezilla

Positively Ducky
11 Years
Oct 2, 2008
11,199
164
311
Colorado
Those were from last week. These are from yesterday...

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Shelley is the darkest so far. Are your ducks as spoiled as mine? They still follow me EVERYWHERE! I have THREE shadows when I work in the yard
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Lolliegee

Lolliegee

Songster
11 Years
Dec 8, 2008
331
5
131
Cottage Grove, OR
Quote:
I'm wondering how you managed to have flowers growing on that plant at all!

I wish my ducks would follow me around. They still run away when I try to walk up to them...Even when I'm bringing food. Ding-a-ling ducks!
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psicorp

psicorp

In the Brooder
10 Years
Apr 24, 2009
24
0
22
Centennial, CO
Not so much in back yard but front if we get out of their sight the let us know and come running to us and pretty much follow us anywhere. We had a parade with the kids leading the ducks around the culdesac.

How has your older ducks take to the younger ones, my pekings are kinda mean, my dog protects them, if he hears them yelling because big ones chasing them he runs out and chases the big ones just enough to get them to stop,
 
Wifezilla

Wifezilla

Positively Ducky
11 Years
Oct 2, 2008
11,199
164
311
Colorado
We have been slowly integrating the small ducks with the big ducks over the past week. At first Uno and Bungie lunged at them, but now they kind of ignore them. I caught them all napping under my lounge chair yesterday. The babies still sleep in their own pen at night, but this weekend they will be bunking with the big ducks.

My drake fostered Uno, so I think that is why he is more laid back about the babies...and he is still young (about 3 months). Chrissy, my oldest duck, is kind of at the bottom of the pecking order, so she doesn't bother anyone. She actually tries to hang out with the babies, but they run away (poor Chrissy).

The drake I used to have and the top female (Uno's parents) tried to tear Uno and Bungie apart when we started letting them play in the back yard. I sold them.
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Your dog is awesome btw
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