Are Pumpkin Vines Toxic?

[jentralala]

I was thinking about tossing some pumpkin seeds into the compost pile in the chicken run to hopefully grow some little punkins for my girls. But I wasn't sure if the vine itself is toxic to the chooks? Does anyone have experience with the vines and their girls?

 

[chooks4life]

I was thinking about tossing some pumpkin seeds into the compost pile in the chicken run to hopefully grow some little punkins for my girls. But I wasn't sure if the vine itself is toxic to the chooks? Does anyone have experience with the vines and their girls?

Not toxic to the best of my knowledge. Edible, in fact. Many people, especially Italians, Maltese etc, keep their vines in shape and within bounds by picking the tender runners, leaves and all, and cooking them. They're pretty nice.

The adult vines will be so hairy, chances are, the chooks won't want them. I used to have enormous Japanese/Kent pumpkin vines and the chooks loved to forage among them, never came to harm.

Best wishes.

 

[Percheron chick]

You need to protect the vines when they are first starting or the chickens will scratch them up. Once they get "hairy" they won't touch them.