Poison Ivy - Danger to Chickens?

[hypnojessi]

I have just noticed a patch of poison ivy growing near and in my chicken run. Will the birds get sick if they eat it? Should I get rid of it? I'd love for them to just eat it up so I don't have to mess with it.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Yes! to poisonous and Yes! to get rid of it...My two haven't bothered the poison ivy, but we cut it down anyways whenever we see it.

 

[Picco]

My family has a dairy farm and we have seen cows eat it and they have no problem with it. I have no reaction to touching it, but some get it bad. But I would get rid of it if you can. Just be careful not to touch it!

 

[MarkR]

There's a lovely organic product on the market called "Burn" made of white vinegar, garlic, and cloves, that will take care of the poison ivy very quickly. There's another brand of the same stuff just called "Organic Poison Ivy Defoliant." You may get lucky and find it locally, but I've had to order it on line. The bonus is that your yard smells yummy.

Mark

 

[janramsey]

Quote:
Would this be to take care of the reaction to the poison ivy itself.....or to kill the plants......

And do chickens have a reaction to it or just my oldest and his father....???

 

[Critter Crazy]

we have a section of our property that has some poison Ivy in it, and the chickens go in this area all of the time. They have been in and out of this area since they have been outside for the last year. we have never had a problem, they actually seem to be killing the plants, as the area seems to be getting smaller. and no one in the family has had a reaction to it since the chickens have been around.

I know my uncle has goats that eat the IVY, and supossedly if you drink milk produced by goats who eat IVy, you build up a resistance to it. I wonder if that is what is happening by us eating the eggs our hens produce?

But none of our hens have been sick, nor have had a reaction to it.