Chickens ate tomato vines, 3 dead - questions

[acbear93]

Are tomato vines seriously poisonous?? My chickens have been eating them for the 6 years that I have been raising them, and I never noticed any problems with my birds, they gobble them up like candy...never had one get sick from them. They just eat the leaves though, and not the stems...pepper plants too, when those are done in the garden, I pull them out and let the chickens have at them...I know not to give potato peelings as I heard that upsets their tummies, and dont give anything that has a strong odor as that will flavor the eggs, onions, broccoli, garlic, etc...

 

[Renee]

I'm sorry about your chickies. I had an acquaintance who lost a horse that way.

All members of the nightshade family (as in deadly nightshade) are poisonous, including green tomatoes and the tomato plant; green eggplants and the eggplant plant; and green potatoes and the potato plant. None of these should be fed to animals (unless you have green hornworms as pets!).

I don't know why green tomatoes, pickled or fried, are not poisonous to people, but that's a great question.

Hey acbear, my husband built my coop for my birthday too!

 

[stephys_fluffybutts]

Somethings that are fine for people, Usually arnt fine for our pets

Kind of like dogs with chocolate

I do remember a post way back when about what can and can't be fed to the chickens..
It was a HUGE list of stuff


Quote:
Good luck and I hope they get better!

 

[Elite Silkies]

There is a post on here, I'll have to look for it. One of the chickens was sick and they told her to give her epsom salt/water and molasses/water? You'll have to find out how much per gallon of water. It detoxifies them. Her chicken was recovering well with these too together. You have to make sure they have plenty of fresh water or they will dehydrate with the molasses and epsom salt.

 

[valreegrl]

Wow!

We have Tomato plants in the garden and my Chickens take their afternoon naps under them just about every day.

Should I worry? Are they smart enough not to eat it?

 

[Renee]

It does seem like chickens should be smart enough not to eat things that will make them sick, but unfortunately, they are not. They have bird-brains. One chicken owner (I think it might be the guy from Feathersite) said he thought his chickens knew what was best for them until he saw them eating a block of styrofoam.

Valreegrl, I doubt your chickens will snack on the tomato plants if they have something tastier to eat, but I would not confine them in a small space with a tomato plant, because they might get bored and eat it.

Please do not use any antidotes that are not recommended for that particular poison. A poison control center can give you good advice.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
I eat FGT too and never got sick, the vines it has been well known that they are poisonous. Last year the rabbits wreaked havoc on everything in my garden but the tomato plants, guess they are smarter than chickens.

I did not do a garden this year but plan on doing either hanging tomato buckets, or finding some old tires and stacking for a raised tomato garden. Tires are not hard to find people throw them along the road all the time. The hanging buckets might be easier though.

 

[dave3877]

only time i get sick off green tomatoes is when i eat beyond my fill of those tasty snacks yummmmm lol

 

[bigreyhorse]

Everyone is ok so far, I think they'll be ok.
I eat fried green tomatoes too, it's the vines that have toxins in them.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Sounds like you're thinking of the flush for botulism:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219553&p=2

Not the same as a plant toxin, of course.