Cherry Tree?

[Morgan7782]

In my chickens run there is a baby cherry tree sprouting up, it's about 4 feet tall right now. The chicks love the ants and bugs on it so I left it rather then cutting it away. Today I noticed Munk was cheeping excitedly, and ripping and munching on the leaves of the baby cherry tree. She loved the leaves.. And this is a tree that gives cherries that we can eat. I am just curious if this was a known 'bad' thing to eat? Or if it is probably okay to let her munch away? Thanks.

 

[tammyd57]

The leaves are probably okay for them to eat, but I wouldn't let them have the cherry pits.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

When cherry trees are injured, the bark becomes poisonous. Livestock have been killed by this. I would move it or kill it, if it was in my run, just to be safe. Chickens that are confined eat a lot of things they wouldn't normally. I don't know how much they could safely eat of injured bark and how much would make them sick or kill them. We cut down a different species of tree in one run and left the stump. The chickens ate a lot of good sized shrubby tree growth right down to the ground, so I know they will eat young bark.