Chickens and Weeds... how safe?

[southphoenixchick]

I wasn't sure if this went here or not so I apologize but I just couldn't find a better place to post it.

I want to start letting my girls out to free range a little each day, but I have a HUGE weed problem in my yard. I know that the chickens will enjoy the weeds and the bugs hiding in the weeds, but I'm worried the weeds might make them sick. I have two unknown weeds that are very common in our yard, and I have green amaranth and silver leafed nightshade. I'm mostly worried about the silver leafed nightshade since I know it is a toxic plant. How toxic, I don't know, but I wouldn't eat it myself, for sure. So the heart of this question is, can I free range my chickens with mystery and one known to people toxic weed, or must I eradicate the weeds first? (Which pretty much means they will never be free range because the silver leafed nightshade has been a five year long battle and we are losing).

 

[Judy]

I would wager they will eat little if any of it. I'd let them out and watch a while. Mine leave certain weeds and bushes, and eat others. One that they leave alone I know gives cows trouble. Also, tomatoes are in the nightshade family. Mine have been fenced in our garden with several living tomato plants for a couple of months. They eat the tomatoes but not the tomato plants -- and I've given my chickens tomatoes off and on for years.

 

[donrae]

I would wager they will eat little if any of it. I'd let them out and watch a while. Mine leave certain weeds and bushes, and eat others. One that they leave alone I know gives cows trouble. Also, tomatoes are in the nightshade family. Mine have been fenced in our garden with several living tomato plants for a couple of months. They eat the tomatoes but not the tomato plants -- and I've given my chickens tomatoes off and on for years.

x2 They do have years of survival instincts telling them what not to eat. I don't worry about what's "bad" for them to eat--I even put *gasp* raw potato peels in the coop! And avocado! And they ignore it!

Then again, just when I think they're smarter than I thought, they devour a block of styrafoam

 

[janinepeters]

x3. I never worry about what they eat while free ranging. They eat what tastes good to them, and those are the foods that are not toxic to chickens.

 

[chfite]

Mine eat all manner of things when they are out. I rely upon the developments of evolution to take care of what they eat. It seems to be working so far.

Chris

 

[mstricer]

I grew these weed trees in my run for shade and cover all summer now they are in seed I have been cutting them down and giving the the seeds.

 

[southphoenixchick]

Sounds like everyone thinks I should try it. I worry a little since I know how toxic the nightshade is and it's currently in berries... but I know that if we don't let them eat them, then they'll never get to free range.

 

[NYREDS]

I have never known of chickens eating toxic plants. We have Nightshade all over our property & I've never seen the chickens eat the plant or the berries. As someone else pointed out they have instinct that tells them what to eat & what not to.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I have more weeds than I do grass. My kids eat some and leave others. You would be fine free ranging them.