Blackberries & blueberries?

[thewatsonfarm]

Are either of these plants (the leaves) harmful to chickens? I was thinking they would make great cover from predators. But not if they're poisonous....

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I do not believe they are poisonous. A few thoughts though, chickens will scratch up the base of the plants and probably kill them doing so. Blueberries have specific needs as far as PH and fertilizer. Raspberry plants often have thorns, which I would worry about injuries such as bumble foot if you chickens walk among them. Raspberry also spread and need maintenance. I personally would choose different plants.

 

[Rlmp817]

There is a book in the backyard chickens store, gardening with chickens, it may give you some ideas on plants that you and your chickens will enjoy, but they won’t completely destroy

 

[Kes]

I would go with thornless blackberries if you get them for the reason oldhenlikesdogs mentioned, but you usually have to prune blackberry/raspberry bushes down a lot or they can become diseased, so they might not be the ideal cover. I'm not sure blueberries would survive the abuse from chickens but maybe I've just had bad luck with them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would go with thornless blackberries if you get them for the reason oldhenlikesdogs mentioned, but you usually have to prune blackberry/raspberry bushes down a lot or they can become diseased, so they might not be the ideal cover. I'm not sure blueberries would survive the abuse from chickens but maybe I've just had bad luck with them.

My chickens got into my blueberries once and dug up around their roots. They never really recovered and we had to remove those.

 

[imnukensc]

My chickens walk into, through, under, and around wild blackberry bushes to get to the berries.

 

[thewatsonfarm]

I do not believe they are poisonous. A few thoughts though, chickens will scratch up the base of the plants and probably kill them doing so. Blueberries have specific needs as far as PH and fertilizer. Raspberry plants often have thorns, which I would worry about injuries such as bumble foot if you chickens walk among them. Raspberry also spread and need maintenance. I personally would choose different plants.

Oh, thank you! I didn't even think about the thorns & especially bumblefoot! Very good point! I was really only thinking that it would be good cover & good snacks for them! Thank you for the help -- I'm very grateful!

 

[thewatsonfarm]

My chickens walk into, through, under, and around wild blackberry bushes to get to the berries.

tee hee.... that was what I had in mind. I was thinking it would be fun to share the berries with the girls. But the word "bumblefoot" was enough for me to scratch that idea. (Sorry, ladies!) I can find something else.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

My chickens walk into, through, under, and around wild blackberry bushes to get to the berries.

Mine love going into the blackberry bushes. They have already started eating on the wild blueberry as well, even though they are not even close to ripe. I have never seen them eat rhe leaves, though.

 

[centrarchid]

I use black berries / rasberries as cover called brambles. The bramble patches are only occasionally subjected to burning. They may for very good cover from raptors and sunlight. Bramble management I use is a compromise between cover needs and disease management. Blueberries good too.

Generally, if plants are toxic, the chickens will quickly stop consuming them.