Where they starting to range at all? We had a couple of poults get into jimson weed which killed them. Here is a little about the weed and other names it has been given.
Jimson Weed is a common weed along roadsides, in cornfields and pastures, and in waste areas. Datura stramonium comes from the family Solanaceae, the potato or nightshade family. The plant is native to Asia, but is also found in the West Indies, Canada, and the United States. Of the more than 12 species, Datura stramonium is the most common type found in the eastern United States.(2) Many names have been given to this plant including: Jimson Weed, Locoweed, Angel's Trumpet, Thorn Apple, Devil's Trumpet, Mad Apple, Stink Weed, Sacred Datura, Green Dragon, and Devil's Trumpet.(2,4)
Jimsonweed is a stout, coarse annual herb 2 to 5 feet tall, with spreading branches. It has a pale-green stem and large, ovate, green or purplish, strong-scented leaves, coarsely toothed on their margins. Its flowers are large, white, and tubular, 2 to 4 inches long, and set on short stalks in the axils of branches. Its circular seeds, about 1/8 inch across, are contained in a hard, prickly capsule which, when ripe, splits lengthwise into four parts.
Jimsonweed is sometimes grows in cultivated fields, overgrazed pastures, and waste lots. It prefers rich soil and may be found throughout Illinois as well as other states from New England to Texas and Florida.
All parts of the Jimsonweed are poisonous, but because of its strong odor and unpleasant taste, animals rarely eat enough of the green plant to be poisoned. Poisoning in animals occurs primarily when hungry animals are turned into a Jimsonweed-infested area where better forage is absent. Most cases of animal poisoning result from a quantity of the dried plant being fed in hay, while poisoning in chickens is due to eating of the seeds. Occasionally Jimsonweeds are accidentally included when the silo is filled. When the silage is fed to the animals poisoning occurs.
Jimson Weed is a common weed along roadsides, in cornfields and pastures, and in waste areas. Datura stramonium comes from the family Solanaceae, the potato or nightshade family. The plant is native to Asia, but is also found in the West Indies, Canada, and the United States. Of the more than 12 species, Datura stramonium is the most common type found in the eastern United States.(2) Many names have been given to this plant including: Jimson Weed, Locoweed, Angel's Trumpet, Thorn Apple, Devil's Trumpet, Mad Apple, Stink Weed, Sacred Datura, Green Dragon, and Devil's Trumpet.(2,4)
Jimsonweed is a stout, coarse annual herb 2 to 5 feet tall, with spreading branches. It has a pale-green stem and large, ovate, green or purplish, strong-scented leaves, coarsely toothed on their margins. Its flowers are large, white, and tubular, 2 to 4 inches long, and set on short stalks in the axils of branches. Its circular seeds, about 1/8 inch across, are contained in a hard, prickly capsule which, when ripe, splits lengthwise into four parts.
Jimsonweed is sometimes grows in cultivated fields, overgrazed pastures, and waste lots. It prefers rich soil and may be found throughout Illinois as well as other states from New England to Texas and Florida.
All parts of the Jimsonweed are poisonous, but because of its strong odor and unpleasant taste, animals rarely eat enough of the green plant to be poisoned. Poisoning in animals occurs primarily when hungry animals are turned into a Jimsonweed-infested area where better forage is absent. Most cases of animal poisoning result from a quantity of the dried plant being fed in hay, while poisoning in chickens is due to eating of the seeds. Occasionally Jimsonweeds are accidentally included when the silo is filled. When the silage is fed to the animals poisoning occurs.
