If you would like a chicken yard that is not 100% pitted raw dirt, here are some plants I have found my hens leave alone. I don't think any are toxic, but if anyone knows otherwise, please chime in. I routinely toss my weedings over the fence and let them scratch around, eat bugs, and snack if they want. Some reseed themselves inside the yard.
Vervain, both regular and blue - they don't touch these and they are quickly colonizing the yard. It's a pretty look when in bloom but I am fearful they will continue to spread into my adjoining field and lawn, so I wack them back before they go to seed.
Ladies' mantle - I only have a couple of these volunteering in the chicken yard.
Blue fescue - I was surprised at this one, I figured any type of grass would be fair game. Instead, I'm slowly getting little balls of fescue here and there which softens up the yard considerably.
Thistles and burdock: Of course they leave these eyesores alone. I dig them out now and again.
Fennel: I only have one volunteer, a bronze fennel, and so far they are leaving it alone. I'll keep an eye on this as it can become invasive.
Feverfew: I wouldn't mind this spreading here and there, jolly little daisy.
Fens' Ruby Euphorbia: This has become a persistent invasive for me, and my guess is the latex is likely not good for the birds. So far they haven't touched it and it has only a small footprint. I'll likely keep after that to eradicate it from their yard.
Lamb's Ears: Another softening look, these are growing along the fence.
In general, I find the chickens just won't touch things that are toxic to them, especially if given enough other greens to choose from. We also feed food scraps, scratch, and chicken feed. Happy hens.
