chickens and chinaberries

[sassychiken]

I was browsing online about chinaberry trees and chickens and was reading a lot of conflicting information and then it suddenly came to me, WHY am I seeking info anywhere other than my favorite chicken site?

Some people say they are extremely toxic to chickens and others say that they've never had any problems with chickens dying from eating chinaberries. Any personal experience out there that can speak up on this?

Thanks!

amber

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

my grandmother always said not to eat them as they were bad for humans
let alone chickens

 

[Mahonri]

I don't know, but I wouldn't risk it with my chickens.

 

[Kev]

There used to be a lot of mature chinaberry trees on this property- still have a few.. the chickens just don't eat the berries at all(wish they did though- walking on the fallen berries is like walking on greased ice!) but they do like to eat any leaves within reach. They especially eat the yellow leaves shed in the fall. Haven't seen any of them look ill in the slightest.

To be sure, I'm talking about Melia azedarach.

Despite what it says there.. never saw anything actually eat the berries. Have seen chickens try picking one up only to spit it out and shake their heads as if they tasted really bad.

Nice things about those trees.. they grow very well here, which is either too dry, too cold or too hot for most trees, they make nice shade, the flowers smell VERY nice.. can turn a brilliant yellow in fall- very few trees put on colorful fall displays out here.

Edited to add upon seeing other responses: I too have read on these being toxic to chickens. But by then, I already had both chickens and chinaberries for many years.. so was a bit surprised but honestly.. no problems observed from my own chickens eating the leaves(they refuse to eat the berries). Just in case I would not put their leaves or branches in cages with aviary birds or deliberately put branches with a ton of leaves in a confined chicken coop, in case the birds try to gorge out of excitement and possibly get enough dose to sicken them.

 

[JJM]

I have my chicken coop built around a Large china berry for 6 years. No problems have ever arisen from the chickens eating the leaves. They won't eat the berries. Must be yucky.