Comprehensive list of poisonous plants and trees

[ellend]

I've had chickens for 15 years and oaks are all over the yard. Never had one drop dead yet because of an oak tree.

Depends on the species of oak and the proclivity of your chickens.

 

[ellend]

like I said in my post I dont think this list is accurate. I have 14 years experience with chickens in the oak ridden hills of Missouri and never ever have had a problem with oaks and the same with my parents before me and my grandparents in the hills of Kentucky

Most don't have any problem. Doesn't mean they should be fed acorns that are not treated properly, dependent on the type of oak. Would I worry a lot about acorns? No, unless they were tiny and I saw the chickens eating a lot of them.

 

[ellend]

I didn't bother to read this whole thread as there have been many others like it.You can apply this response to all the other "won't plant" messages.
Go ahead & plant your China Berry if you want one. I guarantee it won't be a problem for your chickens. For one thing while the berries are toxic to humans IN QUANTITY, they are not toxic to birds. For another, in 50+ years of chicken keeping I have never known of chickens eaing anything that was harmful to them. There are a number of plants on that list that grow around my barn & the birds don't touch them. Unlike people, birds & animals have instinctive knowledge of what's harmful to the & what isn't.
Always be sceptical about info on the internet. Anyone can post anything. There's no editor & no fact checkers.

Your good experience is not universal. I can attest to that with my dead chicken--the one with the muscaria mushroom. Dogs & cats die by the thousands every year from drinking leaked antifreeze, which tastes sweet; please buy the new stuff that is "safe for pets." Native WILD animals are adapted to NATIVE plants; domestics don't have that. You are correct that different animals / birds / reptiles / amphibians have different reactions to plants that are toxic to humans, but not that all animals have "instinctive" knowledge of plants, many of which are not native to the animals own species. I've seen MANY people cross streets in traffic and no get hit by a car. I don't encourage children to run out in traffic...

 

[centrarchid]

@ellend you do not appear to have the expertise required to tackle this as you are.

 

[Deb ekholm]

This is from Chicken Keeping Secrets newsletter http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com I thought that I would post this for you all:

Hi Graham,

I'm glad you wrote and you are right to be concerned about the
oak tree.

You would absolutely need to make sure your chickens do not eat
any dropped acorns.

Oak leaves as well as acorns can be toxic to chickens and as
chickens are very curious eaters, you can't assume that they will
know to keep away from them.

Chickens will eat most anything!

This would include screws, Styrofoam, most anything so everyone
LISTEN - make sure your chickens have an area that is completely
free from anything they should not ingest.

When it comes to plants though, I know that personally I tend to
not be quite as vigilant.

Especially if it is a plant that I've planted in my garden.

For this reason, I think it would be a good idea to re-post a
list of plants that are toxic to poultry. We posted this list
quite some time ago but because we have so many new readers each
week and because we could all use a reminder, check out this list
for the safety of your flock.

ARUM LILY
AMARYLLIS
ARALIA
ARROWHEAD VINE
AUTUMN CROCUS
AUSTRALIAN FLAMETREE
AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA TREE
AVOCADO
AZALEA
BANEBERRY
BEANS: (CASTOR, HORSE, FAVA, BROAD, GLORY, SCARLET RUNNER,
MESCAL, NAVY, PREGATORY)
BIRD OF PARADISE
BISHOP'S WEED
BLACK LAUREL
BLACK LOCUST
BLEEDING HEART OR DUTCHMAN'S BREECHES
BLOODROOT
BLUEBONNET
BLUEGREEN ALGAE
BOXWOOD
BRACKEN FERN
BUCKTHORN
BULB FLOWERS: (AMARYLLIS, DAFFODIL, NARCISSUS, HYACINTH & IRIS)
BURDOCK
BUTTERCUP
CACAO
CAMEL BUSH
CASTOR BEAN
CALADIUM
CANA LILY
CARDINAL FLOWER
CHALICE (TRUMPET VINE)
CHERRY TREE
CHINA BERRY TREE
CHRISTMAS CANDLE
CLEMATIS (VIRGINIA BOWER)
CLIVIA
COCKLEBUR
COFFEE (SENNA)
COFFEE BEAN (RATTLEBUSH, RATTLE BOX & COFFEEWEED)
CORAL PLANT
CORIANDER
CORNCOCKLE
COYOTILLO
COWSLIP
CUTLEAF PHILODENDRON
DAFFODIL
DAPHNE
DATURA STRAMONIUM (ANGEL'S TRUMPET)
DEATH CAMUS
DELPHINIUM
DEVIL'S IVY
DIEFFENBACHIA (DUMB CANE)
ELDERBERRY
ELEPHANT EAR (TARO)
ENGLISH IVY
ERGOT
EUCALYPTUS (DRIED, DYED OR TREATED IN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS)
EUONYMUS (SPINDLE TREE)
EUPHORBIA CACTUS
FALSE HELLEBORE
FLAME TREE
FELT PLANT (MATERNITY, AIR & PANDA PLANTS)
FIG (WEEPING)
FIRE THORN
FLAMINGO FLOWER
FOUR O'CLOCK
FOXGLOVE
GLOTTIDIUM
GOLDEN CHAIN
GRASS: (JOHNSON, SORGHUM, SUDAN & BROOM CORN)
GROUND CHERRY
HEATHS: (KALMIA, LEUCOTHO, PEIRES, RHODODENDRON, MTN. LAUREL,
BLACK LAUREL, ANDROMEDA & AZALEA)
HELIOTROPE
HEMLOCK: (POISON & WATER)
HENBANE
HOLLY
HONEYSUCKLE
HORSE CHESTNUT
HORSE TAIL
HOYA
HYACINTH
HYDRANGEA
IRIS IVY: (ENGLISH & OTHERS)
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
JASMINE (JESSAMINE)
JERUSALEM CHERRY
JIMSONWEED
JUNIPER
KY. COFFEE TREE
LANTANA (RED SAGE)
LARKSPUR
LILY OF THE VALLEY
LILY, ARUM
LOBELIA
LOCOWEED (MILK VETCH)
LOCUSTS, BLACK / HONEY
LORDS & LADIES (CUCKOOPINT)
LUPINE
MALANGA
MARIJUANA (HEMP)
MAYAPPLE (MANDRAKE)
MEXICAN BREADFRUIT
MEXICAN POPPY
MILKWEED, COTTON BUSH
MISTLETOE
MOCK ORANGE
MONKSHOOD
MOONSEED
MORNING GLORY
MTN. LAUREL
MUSHROOMS, AMANITA
MYRTLE
NARCISSUS
NETTLES
NIGHTSHADES: (DEADLY, BLACK, GARDEN, WOODY, BITTERSWEET,
EGGPLANT, JERUSALEM CHERRY)
OAK
OLEANDER
OXALIS
PARSLEY
PEACE LILY
PERIWINKLE
PHILODENDRONS: (SPLIT LEAF, SWISS CHEESE, HEART-LEAF)
PIGWEED
POINCIANA
POINSETTIA
POISON IVY
POISON HEMLOCK
POISON OAK: (WESTERN & EASTERN)
POKEWEED
POTATO SHOOTS
POTHOS
PRIVET
PYRACANTHA
RAIN TREE
RANUNCULUS, BUTTERCUP
RAPE
RATTLEBOX, CROTALARIA
RED MAPLE
RED SAGE (LANTANA)
RHUBARB LEAVES
RHODODENDRONS
ROSARY PEA SEEDS
SAND BOX TREE
SKUNK CABBAGE
SORREL (DOCK)
SNOW DROP
SPURGES: (PENCIL TREE, SNOW-ON-MTN, CANDELABRA, CROWN OF THORNS)
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
SWEET PEA
SWISS CHEESE PLANT (MONSTERA)
TANSY RAGWORT
TOBACCO
UMBRELLA PLANT
VETCH: HAIRY/COMMON
VIRGINIA CREEPER
WATTLE
WEEPING FIG
WHITE CEDAR, CHINA BERRY
WISTERIA
YEWS
YELLOW JASMINE

...I hope you're still here and read through the list.

I know that as I typed it, I was reminded of many very common
plants that I had forgotten were unsafe for my flock.

Again for Graham, I applaud you for being concerned about the
safety of your flock and hope you can come up with a workable
solution for your chickens.

Visit us now for more great chicken keeping advice...

http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com/blog/

Boy, that list suprisingly long. Good job. I always hear of people who say "but ive seen my chicken eat that" when they hear something is toxic and i admit my birds have eaten some of those things and been okay. But ive decided why take the chance with my birds. Bless you

 

[djseraphim]

Hemp/Marijuana needs to be removed off that list...it's not at all poisonous to chickens and growers will use chickens to trim back male plants or take out a male plant if hemp wasn't desired.

 

[Lili623]

My roo just ate a leaf off of one of my azalea bushes, how concerned should I be? He ate a piece and then waddled over somewhere else because I guess he didn’t like it.

 

[rmschicks]

This is from Chicken Keeping Secrets newsletter http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com I thought that I would post this for you all:

Hi Graham,

I'm glad you wrote and you are right to be concerned about the
oak tree.

You would absolutely need to make sure your chickens do not eat
any dropped acorns.

Oak leaves as well as acorns can be toxic to chickens and as
chickens are very curious eaters, you can't assume that they will
know to keep away from them.

Chickens will eat most anything!

This would include screws, Styrofoam, most anything so everyone
LISTEN - make sure your chickens have an area that is completely
free from anything they should not ingest.

When it comes to plants though, I know that personally I tend to
not be quite as vigilant.

Especially if it is a plant that I've planted in my garden.

For this reason, I think it would be a good idea to re-post a
list of plants that are toxic to poultry. We posted this list
quite some time ago but because we have so many new readers each
week and because we could all use a reminder, check out this list
for the safety of your flock.

ARUM LILY
AMARYLLIS
ARALIA
ARROWHEAD VINE
AUTUMN CROCUS
AUSTRALIAN FLAMETREE
AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA TREE
AVOCADO
AZALEA
BANEBERRY
BEANS: (CASTOR, HORSE, FAVA, BROAD, GLORY, SCARLET RUNNER,
MESCAL, NAVY, PREGATORY)
BIRD OF PARADISE
BISHOP'S WEED
BLACK LAUREL
BLACK LOCUST
BLEEDING HEART OR DUTCHMAN'S BREECHES
BLOODROOT
BLUEBONNET
BLUEGREEN ALGAE
BOXWOOD
BRACKEN FERN
BUCKTHORN
BULB FLOWERS: (AMARYLLIS, DAFFODIL, NARCISSUS, HYACINTH & IRIS)
BURDOCK
BUTTERCUP
CACAO
CAMEL BUSH
CASTOR BEAN
CALADIUM
CANA LILY
CARDINAL FLOWER
CHALICE (TRUMPET VINE)
CHERRY TREE
CHINA BERRY TREE
CHRISTMAS CANDLE
CLEMATIS (VIRGINIA BOWER)
CLIVIA
COCKLEBUR
COFFEE (SENNA)
COFFEE BEAN (RATTLEBUSH, RATTLE BOX & COFFEEWEED)
CORAL PLANT
CORIANDER
CORNCOCKLE
COYOTILLO
COWSLIP
CUTLEAF PHILODENDRON
DAFFODIL
DAPHNE
DATURA STRAMONIUM (ANGEL'S TRUMPET)
DEATH CAMUS
DELPHINIUM
DEVIL'S IVY
DIEFFENBACHIA (DUMB CANE)
ELDERBERRY
ELEPHANT EAR (TARO)
ENGLISH IVY
ERGOT
EUCALYPTUS (DRIED, DYED OR TREATED IN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS)
EUONYMUS (SPINDLE TREE)
EUPHORBIA CACTUS
FALSE HELLEBORE
FLAME TREE
FELT PLANT (MATERNITY, AIR & PANDA PLANTS)
FIG (WEEPING)
FIRE THORN
FLAMINGO FLOWER
FOUR O'CLOCK
FOXGLOVE
GLOTTIDIUM
GOLDEN CHAIN
GRASS: (JOHNSON, SORGHUM, SUDAN & BROOM CORN)
GROUND CHERRY
HEATHS: (KALMIA, LEUCOTHO, PEIRES, RHODODENDRON, MTN. LAUREL,
BLACK LAUREL, ANDROMEDA & AZALEA)
HELIOTROPE
HEMLOCK: (POISON & WATER)
HENBANE
HOLLY
HONEYSUCKLE
HORSE CHESTNUT
HORSE TAIL
HOYA
HYACINTH
HYDRANGEA
IRIS IVY: (ENGLISH & OTHERS)
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
JASMINE (JESSAMINE)
JERUSALEM CHERRY
JIMSONWEED
JUNIPER
KY. COFFEE TREE
LANTANA (RED SAGE)
LARKSPUR
LILY OF THE VALLEY
LILY, ARUM
LOBELIA
LOCOWEED (MILK VETCH)
LOCUSTS, BLACK / HONEY
LORDS & LADIES (CUCKOOPINT)
LUPINE
MALANGA
MARIJUANA (HEMP)
MAYAPPLE (MANDRAKE)
MEXICAN BREADFRUIT
MEXICAN POPPY
MILKWEED, COTTON BUSH
MISTLETOE
MOCK ORANGE
MONKSHOOD
MOONSEED
MORNING GLORY
MTN. LAUREL
MUSHROOMS, AMANITA
MYRTLE
NARCISSUS
NETTLES
NIGHTSHADES: (DEADLY, BLACK, GARDEN, WOODY, BITTERSWEET,
EGGPLANT, JERUSALEM CHERRY)
OAK
OLEANDER
OXALIS
PARSLEY
PEACE LILY
PERIWINKLE
PHILODENDRONS: (SPLIT LEAF, SWISS CHEESE, HEART-LEAF)
PIGWEED
POINCIANA
POINSETTIA
POISON IVY
POISON HEMLOCK
POISON OAK: (WESTERN & EASTERN)
POKEWEED
POTATO SHOOTS
POTHOS
PRIVET
PYRACANTHA
RAIN TREE
RANUNCULUS, BUTTERCUP
RAPE
RATTLEBOX, CROTALARIA
RED MAPLE
RED SAGE (LANTANA)
RHUBARB LEAVES
RHODODENDRONS
ROSARY PEA SEEDS
SAND BOX TREE
SKUNK CABBAGE
SORREL (DOCK)
SNOW DROP
SPURGES: (PENCIL TREE, SNOW-ON-MTN, CANDELABRA, CROWN OF THORNS)
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
SWEET PEA
SWISS CHEESE PLANT (MONSTERA)
TANSY RAGWORT
TOBACCO
UMBRELLA PLANT
VETCH: HAIRY/COMMON
VIRGINIA CREEPER
WATTLE
WEEPING FIG
WHITE CEDAR, CHINA BERRY
WISTERIA
YEWS
YELLOW JASMINE

...I hope you're still here and read through the list.

I know that as I typed it, I was reminded of many very common
plants that I had forgotten were unsafe for my flock.

Again for Graham, I applaud you for being concerned about the
safety of your flock and hope you can come up with a workable
solution for your chickens.

Visit us now for more great chicken keeping advice...

http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com/blog/

I used to crack brown acorns for my previous flock. I had comets and NH Reds. Didn’t seem to bother them tbey loved them

 

[Lenarta]

Is vinca bad for them? I have it growing everywhere, we don't have much use for it, and it's invasive.
This is a wonderful list! A lot of these will only do damage in big enough quantities or over time, though, so a note of hope all you who are getting scared after googling "will the plant my chicken ate kill her" A lot of these plants are poisonous to people too, in their raw state. Elderberry is poisonous even to people when raw, acorns & oaks have tannic acid until they're soaked by people or rain, I've never heard of nutritious nettles being poisonous to anything except for their stings. Of course, better to be safe than sorry when it comes to our girls who eat anything.

 

[Griggschick]

This is from Chicken Keeping Secrets newsletter http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com I thought that I would post this for you all:

Hi Graham,

I'm glad you wrote and you are right to be concerned about the
oak tree.

You would absolutely need to make sure your chickens do not eat
any dropped acorns.

Oak leaves as well as acorns can be toxic to chickens and as
chickens are very curious eaters, you can't assume that they will
know to keep away from them.

Chickens will eat most anything!

This would include screws, Styrofoam, most anything so everyone
LISTEN - make sure your chickens have an area that is completely
free from anything they should not ingest.

When it comes to plants though, I know that personally I tend to
not be quite as vigilant.

Especially if it is a plant that I've planted in my garden.

For this reason, I think it would be a good idea to re-post a
list of plants that are toxic to poultry. We posted this list
quite some time ago but because we have so many new readers each
week and because we could all use a reminder, check out this list
for the safety of your flock.

ARUM LILY
AMARYLLIS
ARALIA
ARROWHEAD VINE
AUTUMN CROCUS
AUSTRALIAN FLAMETREE
AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA TREE
AVOCADO
AZALEA
BANEBERRY
BEANS: (CASTOR, HORSE, FAVA, BROAD, GLORY, SCARLET RUNNER,
MESCAL, NAVY, PREGATORY)
BIRD OF PARADISE
BISHOP'S WEED
BLACK LAUREL
BLACK LOCUST
BLEEDING HEART OR DUTCHMAN'S BREECHES
BLOODROOT
BLUEBONNET
BLUEGREEN ALGAE
BOXWOOD
BRACKEN FERN
BUCKTHORN
BULB FLOWERS: (AMARYLLIS, DAFFODIL, NARCISSUS, HYACINTH & IRIS)
BURDOCK
BUTTERCUP
CACAO
CAMEL BUSH
CASTOR BEAN
CALADIUM
CANA LILY
CARDINAL FLOWER
CHALICE (TRUMPET VINE)
CHERRY TREE
CHINA BERRY TREE
CHRISTMAS CANDLE
CLEMATIS (VIRGINIA BOWER)
CLIVIA
COCKLEBUR
COFFEE (SENNA)
COFFEE BEAN (RATTLEBUSH, RATTLE BOX & COFFEEWEED)
CORAL PLANT
CORIANDER
CORNCOCKLE
COYOTILLO
COWSLIP
CUTLEAF PHILODENDRON
DAFFODIL
DAPHNE
DATURA STRAMONIUM (ANGEL'S TRUMPET)
DEATH CAMUS
DELPHINIUM
DEVIL'S IVY
DIEFFENBACHIA (DUMB CANE)
ELDERBERRY
ELEPHANT EAR (TARO)
ENGLISH IVY
ERGOT
EUCALYPTUS (DRIED, DYED OR TREATED IN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS)
EUONYMUS (SPINDLE TREE)
EUPHORBIA CACTUS
FALSE HELLEBORE
FLAME TREE
FELT PLANT (MATERNITY, AIR & PANDA PLANTS)
FIG (WEEPING)
FIRE THORN
FLAMINGO FLOWER
FOUR O'CLOCK
FOXGLOVE
GLOTTIDIUM
GOLDEN CHAIN
GRASS: (JOHNSON, SORGHUM, SUDAN & BROOM CORN)
GROUND CHERRY
HEATHS: (KALMIA, LEUCOTHO, PEIRES, RHODODENDRON, MTN. LAUREL,
BLACK LAUREL, ANDROMEDA & AZALEA)
HELIOTROPE
HEMLOCK: (POISON & WATER)
HENBANE
HOLLY
HONEYSUCKLE
HORSE CHESTNUT
HORSE TAIL
HOYA
HYACINTH
HYDRANGEA
IRIS IVY: (ENGLISH & OTHERS)
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
JASMINE (JESSAMINE)
JERUSALEM CHERRY
JIMSONWEED
JUNIPER
KY. COFFEE TREE
LANTANA (RED SAGE)
LARKSPUR
LILY OF THE VALLEY
LILY, ARUM
LOBELIA
LOCOWEED (MILK VETCH)
LOCUSTS, BLACK / HONEY
LORDS & LADIES (CUCKOOPINT)
LUPINE
MALANGA
MARIJUANA (HEMP)
MAYAPPLE (MANDRAKE)
MEXICAN BREADFRUIT
MEXICAN POPPY
MILKWEED, COTTON BUSH
MISTLETOE
MOCK ORANGE
MONKSHOOD
MOONSEED
MORNING GLORY
MTN. LAUREL
MUSHROOMS, AMANITA
MYRTLE
NARCISSUS
NETTLES
NIGHTSHADES: (DEADLY, BLACK, GARDEN, WOODY, BITTERSWEET,
EGGPLANT, JERUSALEM CHERRY)
OAK
OLEANDER
OXALIS
PARSLEY
PEACE LILY
PERIWINKLE
PHILODENDRONS: (SPLIT LEAF, SWISS CHEESE, HEART-LEAF)
PIGWEED
POINCIANA
POINSETTIA
POISON IVY
POISON HEMLOCK
POISON OAK: (WESTERN & EASTERN)
POKEWEED
POTATO SHOOTS
POTHOS
PRIVET
PYRACANTHA
RAIN TREE
RANUNCULUS, BUTTERCUP
RAPE
RATTLEBOX, CROTALARIA
RED MAPLE
RED SAGE (LANTANA)
RHUBARB LEAVES
RHODODENDRONS
ROSARY PEA SEEDS
SAND BOX TREE
SKUNK CABBAGE
SORREL (DOCK)
SNOW DROP
SPURGES: (PENCIL TREE, SNOW-ON-MTN, CANDELABRA, CROWN OF THORNS)
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
SWEET PEA
SWISS CHEESE PLANT (MONSTERA)
TANSY RAGWORT
TOBACCO
UMBRELLA PLANT
VETCH: HAIRY/COMMON
VIRGINIA CREEPER
WATTLE
WEEPING FIG
WHITE CEDAR, CHINA BERRY
WISTERIA
YEWS
YELLOW JASMINE

...I hope you're still here and read through the list.

I know that as I typed it, I was reminded of many very common
plants that I had forgotten were unsafe for my flock.

Again for Graham, I applaud you for being concerned about the
safety of your flock and hope you can come up with a workable
solution for your chickens.

Visit us now for more great chicken keeping advice...

http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com/blog/

I know this is an old post but what about creeping Charlie - the weed that threatens to take over my garden? My chickens seem to relish it but should I avoid giving it to them??