cherry tomato plant in run?

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I'm in Missouri, and tomatoes love HOT weather as long as they've got plenty to drink. They grow like crazy in this hot, humid summer climate. So the size is probably just a regional difference!

Yes, I'm up in Rhode Island and have a fairly shady yard...not great combo for tomatoes.

Thankfully, I don't actually LIKE them, so not being able to grow them isn't the worst for me. I wish I had a bit more sun so I could grow more peppers, though.

 

[Chicken poppy]

They'll keep eating something that tastes bad and isn't good for them? I find mine pretty much ignore things they don't like....I noticed some daffodils popping up in my run this week, and if something they don't enjoy (like an onion) sprouts in the compost, they ignore it.

But I imagine all flocks and all chickens are a bit different. Mine eat some things other people's flocks don't like, and ignore some things that people report their flock going nuts for.

Yep, they will. Many chickens eat poisonous plants like pokeweed. Chickens can eat styrofoam, paper, anything. I have not heard of a chicken not eating these things so thats quite interesting.

Keep in mind a lot of chickens don’t forage around like that. My chickens do not eat mice, rats, etc. And only seed/mash/bugs with grass, clovers, etc. No big plants, no cabbage, no carrots or apple. So that may be what your referring to!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Yep, they will. Many chickens eat poisonous plants like pokeweed. Chickens can eat styrofoam, paper, anything. I have not heard of a chicken not eating these things so thats quite interesting.

Keep in mind a lot of chickens don’t forage around like that. My chickens do not eat mice, rats, etc. And only seed/mash/bugs with grass, clovers, etc. No big plants, no cabbage, no carrots or apple. So that may be what your referring to!

If chickens keep eating a poisonous plant, wouldn't that, you know, make them dead?

I'm just saying given the opportunity to eat good things vs. bad things, I find they eat good things. I've heard the Styrofoam thing, which makes sense it's not a natural thing. I've seen mine nibble on shredded paper, but I wouldn't consider that all that bad for them.

 

[Chicken poppy]

If chickens keep eating a poisonous plant, wouldn't that, you know, make them dead?

I'm just saying given the opportunity to eat good things vs. bad things, I find they eat good things. I've heard the Styrofoam thing, which makes sense it's not a natural thing. I've seen mine nibble on shredded paper, but I wouldn't consider that all that bad for them.

It would, it’s a miracle most are alive because i have seen them nibbling it but it’s usually been in small enough portions due to me catching it in time.

I guess mine are just trashy chickens then. They don’t really eat what’s good for them. Might just be mine though!

 

[Huntmaster]

Yep, they will. Many chickens eat poisonous plants like pokeweed

How do so many chickens free range and live if they eat all the poisonous plants?

 

[Chicken poppy]

How do so many chickens free range and live if they eat all the poisonous plants?

Was referring to many as in other peoples stories i have heard, one chicken might eat a pokeweed berry, another something else. Not every bad plant at once for one chicken.

 

[Huntmaster]

Was referring to many as in other peoples stories i have heard, one chicken might eat a pokeweed berry, another something else. Not every bad plant at once for one chicken.

Maybe I should have said how do so many chickens fee range and live if they eat a poisonous plant like pokeweed, nightshade or so many others out there?

 

[21hens-incharge]

How do so many chickens free range and live if they eat all the poisonous plants?

That's the thing....not everyone free ranges the flock.

If it's the only green thing available they certainly would be far more likely to eat every bit of it. Like a tomato plant growing IN the run.
If they have choices they may taste it and move on to better things.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Maybe I should have said how do so many chickens fee range and live if they eat a poisonous plant like pokeweed, nightshade or so many others out there?

Do you mean you and not I? Just a bit confused. If so, that was not my point so i didn’t mention it. I don’t have data, just saying many eat poisonous plants off of threads.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

It's very true that most things that are "toxic" or "poisonous" aren't like when someone gets poisoned in an old movie (very fast and dramatic death). Most things that are toxic would require a certain level of ingestion to really cause damage.

A taste would probably just taste bad (many toxic things are quite bitter), or maybe cause a little minor discomfort. Obviously more than that would be bad.

With some things, not all of the plant is toxic too. Like with Pokeweed, aren't the berries not toxic to birds? I thought they were spread mostly by birds eating the berries and, err...depositing the seeds around?