6 Best Mulberry Trees For Feeding Chickens Old Farmers Swear By

You watch your flock tear through another bag of expensive feed and wonder if there’s a better way to keep them happy and well-fed. You’ve heard whispers about planting trees for forage, but the idea seems daunting. The truth is, one of the oldest and simplest tricks in the book is planting a few specific mulberry trees, turning a patch of your yard into a self-filling, high-protein snack bar for your chickens.

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Why Mulberries Are a Top-Tier Chicken Forage

Nothing gets a flock more excited than the deep purple stain of a fallen mulberry. These trees are more than just a treat; they’re a complete foraging system. The fruit is packed with sugars, vitamins, and antioxidants, providing a nutritional boost that commercial feed alone can’t match.

The real magic, however, is in the delivery. Unlike apples you have to pick or vegetables you have to chop, mulberries drop their fruit when ripe. This creates a natural, daily "fruit fall" that encourages chickens to scratch, peck, and forage as they would in the wild. This activity keeps them entertained, reduces boredom-related behaviors like feather-pecking, and supplements their diet for free.

Many people worry about the mess, but when you’re raising chickens, the mess is the point. The fallen fruit, leaves, and the insects they attract create a rich, self-sustaining ecosystem right under the tree. Your chickens aren’t just eating the berries; they’re eating the bugs drawn to the fruit, turning a potential nuisance into a protein-packed meal.

Illinois Everbearing: A Long-Season Fruit Drop

If you can only plant one tree, this is often the one to get. The "Everbearing" name says it all. Instead of dropping all its fruit in a massive two-week glut, the Illinois Everbearing provides a steady stream of berries from early summer often into September.

This extended season is a game-changer for managing your feed bill. A short, intense fruit drop is great, but a slow, consistent supply means your flock gets a daily supplement for months. It prevents the "feast and famine" cycle you see with other fruit trees.

This variety is also a tough, vigorous grower that establishes quickly. It’s widely adapted, growing well from Zone 5 to 8, and is known for its rich, blackberry-like flavor. For a reliable, long-term food source, the Illinois Everbearing is the gold standard.

Wellington: The Reliable, Heavy-Bearing Classic

The Wellington is an old-school favorite for a reason: it produces a massive amount of fruit. While its season is more compressed than the Illinois Everbearing—typically a few heavy weeks in early to mid-summer—the sheer volume is staggering. It’s the kind of tree that will paint the ground purple.

This is your tree if your goal is maximum impact in a short window. A mature Wellington can feed a sizable flock during its peak, dramatically cutting your feed costs for that period. The berries are medium-sized, sweet, and juicy, and the chickens go absolutely wild for them.

Hardy in Zones 5-9, the Wellington is a resilient and dependable choice. It’s a large, fast-growing tree, so give it plenty of space to spread out. Think of it as the bulk-producing workhorse of the mulberry world.

Northrop Mulberry: The Best Choice for Cold Climates

Living up north doesn’t mean you have to miss out. The Northrop mulberry is your answer for colder regions, reliably hardy down to a frigid Zone 3. Where other varieties would be damaged or killed by harsh winters, the Northrop thrives.

Developed in Minnesota, this tree was bred for survival. It produces small-to-medium, sweet black berries in mid-summer. While it may not have the extended season of an Illinois Everbearing, its ability to simply survive and produce in a cold climate makes it invaluable.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to push the zone limits with a less hardy tree. A dead tree feeds no one. If you face seriously cold winters, choosing a climate-appropriate variety like Northrop is the most important decision you’ll make.

Gerardi Dwarf: Productive Tree for Small Coops

Not everyone has the space for a 40-foot mulberry tree. The Gerardi Dwarf is a true genetic dwarf, naturally staying under 10 feet tall without aggressive pruning. This makes it perfect for small backyards, suburban homesteads, or planting right inside a larger chicken run.

Despite its small stature, the Gerardi is incredibly productive. It produces full-sized, delicious berries over a long season, similar to the Illinois Everbearing. Its compact size means you can fit a high-value forage source into a space that couldn’t support a standard tree.

The key benefit here is management. You can easily net the tree to protect the fruit if you want some for yourself, and its low height keeps it from casting excessive shade. For hobby farmers with limited space, the Gerardi offers all the benefits of a mulberry without the massive footprint.

Pakistan Mulberry: Extra-Long Berries for a Treat

The Pakistan mulberry is a bit of a novelty, but one your chickens will thank you for. This tree produces enormous, three-to-four-inch long berries that look more like blackberries than mulberries. They are sweet, less messy because they’re often picked before they drop, but the chickens will devour any that hit the ground.

This variety is best suited for warmer climates (Zones 6-9) and is prized for its unique fruit. It’s not the highest-volume producer for chicken forage, but it’s a fantastic secondary tree. Think of it as the "special treat" tree in your mulberry patch.

The long berries are also easier for you to harvest for your own kitchen. Planting a Pakistan alongside a workhorse like Wellington or Illinois Everbearing gives you the best of both worlds: a steady supply for the flock and some unique, delicious fruit for the farmer.

Dwarf Everbearing: Easy Harvest in a Compact Size

Often sold as the Dwarf Everbearing Black Mulberry, this variety is less of a tree and more of a large bush. It typically stays between 6 and 15 feet tall and can be kept even smaller with pruning. This manageable size makes it incredibly easy to integrate directly into your chicken pasture.

The main advantage is accessibility. Chickens can easily reach the lower branches and feast on berries that haven’t even fallen yet. You can also shake the branches to release a shower of ripe fruit on demand, making it an interactive feeding station.

Like other everbearing types, it produces fruit over a long summer season. It’s a great option for those who want a low-maintenance, multi-purpose plant that provides both forage and cover for the flock. Its bushy habit offers shade and protection from aerial predators, adding another layer of utility.

Planting Your Mulberry Patch for Happy Chickens

Where you plant your tree is just as important as which one you choose. The ideal spot is on the edge of the chicken run or pasture. This allows the fruit to drop into their area while protecting the tree’s trunk and root system from being constantly scratched and damaged by the flock. A young tree planted directly in a run with a large flock won’t last long.

For best results, consider planting two or three different varieties. A combination like this works wonders:

• Wellington: For a massive fruit drop in early summer.
• Illinois Everbearing: To carry the harvest from mid-summer into fall.
• A dwarf variety: Planted in a protected corner for easy access.

This staggered approach creates a continuous supply chain of fresh fruit for months. Mulberries are tough and aren’t picky about soil, but they do best in well-drained loam with full sun. Water them regularly the first year to get them established, and after that, they are remarkably drought-tolerant and self-sufficient. Your initial effort will pay dividends for decades.

Investing in a few mulberry trees is one of the smartest, simplest moves a chicken keeper can make. It’s a long-term strategy that lowers costs, improves flock health, and promotes natural behaviors. A little planning now will yield years of happy chickens and a more sustainable homestead.