I saw in another thread where folks have referred to them as poisonous. We have nine trees where the birds range. I've never fed them any, but I have witnessed them destroy a fallen one. Are they really known to be poisonous or is it a matter of opinion? Like they also commonly say the same for dogs, but I know plenty of fat farm dogs that eat little else- heck there's even a dog food company that puts it in feed.. What do you all think?
Anything in excess is a bad idea. I am pretty sure the skin and pit of an avacodo WILL cause illness. The meat? Probably not so much.
That makes sense. What I usually find in a chicken eaten avo, is an old skin hollowed out, picked mostly clean inside but the seed is there. We don't try to give them any, they're mainly for us.. But I'm sure they get quite a few fallen ones.
There might be more current information that I haven't seen, yet. Over the years, I've gotten the impression from parrot information, that they aren't absolutely sure what the toxic component is or why it's made some parrots ill and not others. Over the years, I've heard that the flesh nearest the pit and skin is more toxic. I've heard that different types/species of avocado are a problem and others are not so much of a problem. In parrot circles, the general advice is to avoid avocado all together, to be safe. I haven't read anything about toxicity and dogs.
I'm gonna probably sound like an arse but my chickens eat avocado fairly reguarly. Like one a week. I can trust them with the pit/skin because they just hollow it out. It's quite funny because they hate the pit so much they'll peck around it until it's balanced precariously on a little toothpick sized piece of avocado right in the middle of the half. Ha. I don't let my parrots eat it but I've always just thought (ASSumed, I guess) chickens had hardier stomachs than my parrots. My mother in law has avocado trees her chooks like to camp under. Nothing she could really do to stop them, they ate heaps. They had such shiny feathers and fat bodies!
Mine get both Hass and another variety which is either fuerte or bacon.. I'm sure they get them quite regularly. I see wild birds eating them too. Regarding other poisonous things though. I've seen the chickens pick at wisteria leaves and avocado leaves, but then later stop that. I kind of think they taste things and if they don't agree with them they don't go back to it. So maybe a bird that is unfamiliar with avocadoes is more at risk of eating too much skin than an old pro?
