In some parts of the eastern USA, the American Persimmon Diospyros virginiana is a dioecious tree species capable exceeding 60 feet in height with potential value to chicken keepers, especially on the lower end of that height range. The tree can provide shade for the birds and their housing during the hottest part of summer. In some situations the trees can provide roosting habitat assuming the locations can be protected for access by predators of chickens. Straight trunks of smaller trees can be used to fabricate roost poles.
The dioecious nature of the tree means that only about half the tree actually bear fruit. I have been of the habit of identifying trees to sex and when given the choice of culling, preferentially keep female trees. Both sexes produce flowers of interest to nectarivorous animals although only male trees which have much more abundant flowers produce pollen. Sexing trees can be done by looking at pattern of blooms or flower buds. Female flowers are generally single while male flowers arranged in pairs and have 16 stamens.
Female trees produce an edible fruit that are consumed by many animals. The green fruit are readily consumed by many types of wildlife and some of my dogs that appear to be addicted to the green fruit. For many animals the green fruit are too hard or the astringency gives potential consumers the puckers. As the fruit ripens the color becomes orange or even bluish. The fruit often retains its astringency until exposed to heavy frost when all the hanging fruit rapidly becomes sweet. Prior to that sweet fruit can be selected by feel and ease it can be dislodged from the tree. Once an individual fruit becomes soft and pleasingly aromatic, the fruit can be consumed without getting the puckers. Just because a fruit has fallen does not mean it has lost its pre-ripened astringent nature.
Many chickens are partial to the fallen fruit and will consume the fruit and the seeds they contain. Free-range chickens will often walk some distance to consume fallen persimmons. The fruit can also be collected and provided to confined chickens that will often consume the fruit even before consuming other food items, except for insects.
Fruit of various stages of ripeness dispersed through branches of a tree. This is not a lot of fruit as year was dry.
Best fruit for human consumption is not only more orange and soft, it also separates readily from calyx-lobes. Chickens are a little less picky.
Cock in molt that is really partial to the fruit. He will eat close to a dozen fruit, seeds and all each day.
Young stag just starting to develop a taste for the fruit.
A concentration of fruit on ground after I give tree a modest shake.
Pen with dark rooster near middle of image just moved to be below a smallish tree. He will get shade during last hot days of summer and into fall until leaves come down which will be early this year owing to drought.
Isolated tree that produces a lot of fruit for it's size.
Pictures of small stands with about 10 trees each located just outside perimeter of the poultry yard. I have several such stands the free-range chickens readily go to when it gets hot. The same areas now attractive in the morning when the chickens are after that rapid crop filling of the morning. Lots of insects can also be found in such locations so nutrition may not be all that out of balance as supplied by the trees.
A tree that would be good for cutting to make a roost pole or two. If it were a male tree then such an outcome would be likely.
Short video on how to find the good fruit without pucker power.
I did a quick harvest of fruit from tree and ground. From left to right the all were collected from tree to all where collected from ground. Group A green and hard with calyx attached. Group B turning yet hard with all still on tree and when plucked the calyx remains attached. Group C where calyx detaches and is more orange with only a little softening. Group D with calyx off, more orange with bluish tent showing and decidedly soft is either on ground or falls readily when tree disturbed. Group E is always on the ground, very soft and often targeted by others you do not want to share food with.
The last group is the one that gets chickens falling of the wagon when consumed in mass.
A calyx.
Pest issue.
The dioecious nature of the tree means that only about half the tree actually bear fruit. I have been of the habit of identifying trees to sex and when given the choice of culling, preferentially keep female trees. Both sexes produce flowers of interest to nectarivorous animals although only male trees which have much more abundant flowers produce pollen. Sexing trees can be done by looking at pattern of blooms or flower buds. Female flowers are generally single while male flowers arranged in pairs and have 16 stamens.
Female trees produce an edible fruit that are consumed by many animals. The green fruit are readily consumed by many types of wildlife and some of my dogs that appear to be addicted to the green fruit. For many animals the green fruit are too hard or the astringency gives potential consumers the puckers. As the fruit ripens the color becomes orange or even bluish. The fruit often retains its astringency until exposed to heavy frost when all the hanging fruit rapidly becomes sweet. Prior to that sweet fruit can be selected by feel and ease it can be dislodged from the tree. Once an individual fruit becomes soft and pleasingly aromatic, the fruit can be consumed without getting the puckers. Just because a fruit has fallen does not mean it has lost its pre-ripened astringent nature.
Many chickens are partial to the fallen fruit and will consume the fruit and the seeds they contain. Free-range chickens will often walk some distance to consume fallen persimmons. The fruit can also be collected and provided to confined chickens that will often consume the fruit even before consuming other food items, except for insects.
Fruit of various stages of ripeness dispersed through branches of a tree. This is not a lot of fruit as year was dry.
Best fruit for human consumption is not only more orange and soft, it also separates readily from calyx-lobes. Chickens are a little less picky.
Cock in molt that is really partial to the fruit. He will eat close to a dozen fruit, seeds and all each day.
Young stag just starting to develop a taste for the fruit.
A concentration of fruit on ground after I give tree a modest shake.
Pen with dark rooster near middle of image just moved to be below a smallish tree. He will get shade during last hot days of summer and into fall until leaves come down which will be early this year owing to drought.
Isolated tree that produces a lot of fruit for it's size.
Pictures of small stands with about 10 trees each located just outside perimeter of the poultry yard. I have several such stands the free-range chickens readily go to when it gets hot. The same areas now attractive in the morning when the chickens are after that rapid crop filling of the morning. Lots of insects can also be found in such locations so nutrition may not be all that out of balance as supplied by the trees.
A tree that would be good for cutting to make a roost pole or two. If it were a male tree then such an outcome would be likely.
Short video on how to find the good fruit without pucker power.
I did a quick harvest of fruit from tree and ground. From left to right the all were collected from tree to all where collected from ground. Group A green and hard with calyx attached. Group B turning yet hard with all still on tree and when plucked the calyx remains attached. Group C where calyx detaches and is more orange with only a little softening. Group D with calyx off, more orange with bluish tent showing and decidedly soft is either on ground or falls readily when tree disturbed. Group E is always on the ground, very soft and often targeted by others you do not want to share food with.
The last group is the one that gets chickens falling of the wagon when consumed in mass.
A calyx.
Pest issue.
