Recommended to grow fruit trees

chillchooks · **Joined:** Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:47 pm **Posts:** 7

Is it recommended to grow fruit trees in the chicken coop and it so what type is best suited to the rich soil? I was thinking of mandarin trees but would they like all that chook poo?

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

I hail from Nth Est Vic, my chooks roam under olive trees (100), Avacadoes, macadamias, various citrus, stone fruit, pecan, apples etc. The chooks love the shade and protection from overhead predators and the trees adore the chook poo and they don't mind the scratching and foraging.

OakA · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:33 pm

I think I share Purefeathers sentiment, it is benificial all round.
The selection is up to you.
I have seen citrus thrive in the chook pen along with many or any others trees.
The selection will be determined by your location and personal preference.
There is an added bonus in fruit trees in poultry yards or fowls free ranging in an orchard area in that the fowls clean up fallen fruit and assist in the control of many insect pests and diseases by thier very presence.
I like some of the legume trees as well for this purpose, fowls will eat the seed and green shoots.
One of my favourites for the area is a Mulberry tree, the fowls love the fruit and at fruiting time you have lovely purple striped eggs,

, they shed leaves in winter to allow the sun to penetrate and are the coolest of shade on hot summer days.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

And don't be surprised when you pick more than mulberries from the tree, it makes a great perching tree.

chillchooks · **Joined:** Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:47 pm **Posts:** 7

Why thank you both I do like the mulberry tree so that maybe the second tree as my first love is the mandarin tree again a big thank you for the advice

healthyhens · **Joined:** Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:32 am **Posts:** 2

We have a large coop that has Orange, Lemon, Lime and Plum and all do so well with the chooks around them over the last 5 years the fruit has almost doubled all because of the chooks and yes like the mulberry trees some of our girls sleep in the orange and lemon trees

chillchooks · **Joined:** Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:47 pm **Posts:** 7

I hope we have the same success

healthyhens · **Joined:** Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:32 am **Posts:** 2

You should do the fruit trees love rich soil and chook poo does that in spades so in a couple of years you should get a good crop

OrangeRooster · **Joined:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:24 am **Posts:** 3

When we built our new chicken coop over the sickly orange tree we thought it would die but in 2 years it has doubled in size goes to show the power of chook poo on unheathy trees

chillchooks · **Joined:** Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:47 pm **Posts:** 7

So there is hope for mine

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