Poor Rosemary

I would like to plant things in the chicken yard, but you know chickens, if they don't eat it they dig it up.

Last summer I planted sweet potato, and rosemary next to the fence, and fenced around the plants. It worked great. The chickens ate everything that came through the fence, but couldn't dig it up, or eat enough to harm the Sweet potato.

It's winter now, and the sweet potato has died.  A few weeds grew in the area. I removed the fence because I have tried to feed them rosemary, and they wouldn't touch it. So I figured it was safe.  The next day that poor Rosemary is a stick.  I really didn't think they would eat it.  We have been giving them kale from the garden.  I will put the fence back up. Maybe it will recover.

I'm going to make a fence that goes along the back fence, and plant a lot more things year.  It's pretty, and give the chickens something they can eat.  Which includes rosemary.  I better start a bunch of new cuttings.

Are they craving for something fresh and green in deep winter? I notice my chickens will eat up their favorite food first before moving to the less favorite ones. For veggies, their eating sequence is like kale- bok choi- radish- arugula. Right now they free range and have some green grass to nimble. I don't doubt if they run out of grass they will eat my rosemary and lavender.

I do give them kale. But they don't get nearly as much fresh food in the winter, as the rest of the year. There isn't as much growing, not as much excess.  Plus in the summer they have access to sweet potato vines, and grape leaves. I guess it makes sense. I just didn't think they were that desperate.