If you're raising chickens in Zone 6A, whether on a small homestead or a spacious backyard, this guide will help you choose the best plants for your chicken pasture—plants that thrive in your climate and delight your flock.

Why Plant a Chicken-Friendly Pasture?

Chickens are omnivorous, opportunistic foragers. When given access to a diverse pasture, they instinctively scratch, peck, and graze throughout the day. This behavior isn’t just instinctual—it supports their mental stimulation, nutritional balance, and digestive health.

Supplementing their diet with pasture plants also:

• Cuts down on commercial feed costs

• Provides vital nutrients and antioxidants

• Reduces boredom and pecking issues

• Creates a healthier, more balanced ecosystem

Key Considerations for Zone 6A Pastures

Zone 6A experiences cold winters, hot summers, and moderate rainfall. Pasture plants need to be:

• Cold-hardy

• Heat-tolerant

• Non-toxic to poultry

• Able to recover from grazing

Rotational grazing or separating pasture into sections helps avoid overgrazing, allowing plants to regrow and soils to rest.

Chicken-Approved Plants to Grow in Zone 6A Pastures

Here are some of the best foraging plants to grow in your pasture that chickens will enjoy—and that will do well in Zone 6A.

White Clover (Trifolium repens)

• Why chickens love it: Tender, nitrogen-rich, and palatable.

• Why you’ll love it: A perennial legume that fixes nitrogen, improving soil fertility naturally.

• Bonus: Stays green into late fall and returns early in spring.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

• Why chickens love it: High in protein, vitamins A and K, and calcium.

• Why you’ll love it: Deep roots improve soil structure, and it survives tough summers.

• Note: Best when rotationally grazed to avoid stress on the plants.

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne or multiflorum)

• Why chickens love it: Soft blades are easy to graze, especially for young birds.

• Why you’ll love it: Cold-hardy and grows quickly in early spring and fall.

• Tip: Use annual ryegrass for quick cover or perennial for long-term growth.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

• Why chickens love it: Bitter but rich in trace minerals; they’ll peck at it frequently.

• Why you’ll love it: Deep-rooted, drought-resistant, and attractive to pollinators.

Plantain (Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata)

• Why chickens love it: Nutritious, high in calcium and anti-inflammatory compounds.

• Why you’ll love it: Extremely hardy and spreads easily without becoming invasive.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

• Why chickens love it: They’ll eat the entire plant—leaves, flowers, and roots.

• Why you’ll love it: Already present in most lawns and very nutritious.

Millet (Foxtail or Pearl)

• Why chickens love it: Produces tasty seeds and young greens.

• Why you’ll love it: Warm-season annual that thrives in summer heat.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)

• Why chickens love it: They enjoy the leaves and especially the seeds.

• Why you’ll love it: Fast-growing and attracts beneficial insects.

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)

• Why chickens love it: Seeds are a high-energy treat.

• Why you’ll love it: Tall plants provide shade and visual interest. After harvest, drop heads in the run.

Oats (Avena sativa)

• Why chickens love it: Young oat greens are a favorite snack.

• Why you’ll love it: Sow in early spring or fall for quick green cover.

Avoid These Plants in Chicken Pastures

Some common plants can be toxic or problematic for chickens. Avoid planting or allowing chickens free access to:

• Nightshades (e.g., tomato leaves, potatoes)

• Azaleas and rhododendrons

• Buttercup (toxic when fresh)

• Foxglove, yew, and morning glory

Always cross-check with a poultry-safe plant list if you’re uncertain.

Creating a Seasonal Foraging Plan

In Zone 6A, you'll benefit from succession planting—staggering different crops for spring, summer, and fall interest. You can sow:

• Early spring: Oats, clover, ryegrass

• Summer: Alfalfa, millet, sunflowers

• Fall: Buckwheat, ryegrass, chicory

Allow parts of the pasture to rest between uses so the flock doesn’t overgraze or kill off your forage base.

Final Thoughts

Planting a chicken-friendly pasture in Zone 6A is one of the best things you can do for your flock’s health and happiness. With a mix of cold-hardy perennials and fast-growing annuals, you’ll create a vibrant space that meets your birds’ nutritional needs and stimulates their natural behavior.

Whether you live in Lehigh Valley, the Catskills, rural New Jersey, or central Pennsylvania, your pasture can become a year-round source of enrichment for your flock—and a more sustainable way to raise chickens.