Chickens eating walnuts

[shareverwonder]

MY girls and my roo have been eating the black stuff inside the green outer casing of the walnuts. They are all over the yard and it's hard to pick them all up. Is this safe for them to eat? They seem to really enjoy it.

 

[Akane]

Not really safe. Walnut trees contain a toxin which kills many competing plants around them. A lot of that toxin is found in the coating of a walnut. That's what stains your hands if you handle them. However we never pick up walnuts and had chickens free ranging all around the area with no problems. I don't think I ever saw a chicken eating one though.