Chickens and toads

[NorthernSunflower]

The other day my daughter and I were having a discussion about our chickens and she brought up the question “what if the chickens eat a toad, aren’t they poisonous” which got me thinking if I should be keeping the chickens away from toads. We have a pond on our homestead and live in an area with rivers and marshes so we have a ton of frogs and toads on our property. To my understanding and research in our area we only have the American toad. Our chickens will go after anything that moves. Are these ok for our chickens to eat or should I try to keep the chickens away from the toads somehow.

 

[FortCluck]

Chickens are very smart and they won't eat things that are poisonous to them... Usually

The larger the toad the more poison that they have so they may eat smaller ones, which will have no affect on them.

They'll be fine living alongside the toads.

We've had a toad that has lived with our chickens for over a year now and he is bigger than my hand. They don't bug him at all. He's basically our outdoor pet now

 

[DobieLover]

The other day my daughter and I were having a discussion about our chickens and she brought up the question “what if the chickens eat a toad, aren’t they poisonous” which got me thinking if I should be keeping the chickens away from toads. We have a pond on our homestead and live in an area with rivers and marshes so we have a ton of frogs and toads on our property. To my understanding and research in our area we only have the American toad. Our chickens will go after anything that moves. Are these ok for our chickens to eat or should I try to keep the chickens away from the toads somehow.

I agree with @FortCluck that the chickens will avoid eating the toads. However, mine gleefully peck the ever loving crap out of them and run all over the place with a bruised and mangled toad dangling by it's leg from a beak while the chickens have a sporting game in "keep away".
Worry for the poor toads, not the chickens!

 

[FortCluck]

I agree with @FortCluck that the chickens will avoid eating the toads. However, mine gleefully peck the ever loving crap out of them and run all over the place with a bruised and mangled toad dangling by it's leg from a beak while the chickens have a sporting game in "keep away".
Worry for the poor toads, not the chickens!

I just laughed reading this because I could see that happening

 

[DobieLover]

I just laughed reading this because I could see that happening

I HAVE seen it happen. More than once. My girls are brutes!

 

[FortCluck]

I HAVE seen it happen. More than once. My girls are brutes!

Mine too! I could see Squatch the BJG running with one he's a beast

 

[FathertoFeathers]

I have a chicken who swallowed a toad whole and she is still here so I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[FortCluck]

I have a chicken who swallowed a toad whole and she is still here so I wouldn't be too worried.

Bet it was delicious too

 

[ColtHandorf]

The toads are clever enough at my house to stay hidden during the day. But in the Spring and Summer I have a huge population of Leopard frogs. And let me tell you, there's no denying they are feathered dinosaurs when you see them ripping apart a frog and running in a pack across the backyard running one down and dismembering it. lol

 

[cluckmecoop7]

A few months ago there was a big toad in my chickens run and they were fighting over it. They picked it up and carried it around a lot. Finally I rescued it and let it go. (Just didn't want them eating it.) They were fine. BUT, they didn't exactly "eat" it. Soooo, I can't say for sure.