Are irises bad for chickens?

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henplusrooster

henplusrooster

Chirping
Feb 28, 2017
52
9
51
I want to decorate my backyard with flowers but I don't know what flowers I can plant that won't be bad for the chickens. I already know tulips are bad but are irises bad for them. What flowers do you recommend that are pretty but safe for chickens.
 
If you are allowing your birds to free range, they will eat and destroy what ever they want, and leave a few things alone. As long as they are not being confined without access to greens, IMO, you don't have to worry. My birds actually seek out and enjoy rhubarb leaves in the fall, but that's the only time of the year they eat them. They have 4 acres to range, yet enjoy those rhubarb leaves. I'm basically telling you this, to set your mind at ease. I have lots of iris, and the birds leave them alone. Day lilies are considered to be edible, but my birds don't touch them.
 
If you want plants that won't poison the chickens, try searching for "edible flowers," because most things that are edible for people are also edible for chickens. (Of course you could then check them against a list of what's safe or dangerous for chickens, to be extra sure.)

The first one that comes to my mind is pansies.

I agree with lazy gardener that chickens with plenty of choices will usually not eat stuff that will hurt them, but will destroy many kinds of plants you might want them to leave!
 
I just planted nasturtium seeds on 2 sides of my run (about 35 plants total if they all sprout), the intention being the chickens can eat whatever they can reach, but the plants should just be far enough for them to only get leaves off one side. They're very pretty flowers and you can eat them as well.
 

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