Elderberries

[6marigolds]

I just finished making elderberry syrup. I know elderberries have a minimal amount of cyanide but they were cooked so I was wondering if my chickens could have the berry scraps.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Huh, good question! I too make elderberry syrup...never thought of giving the extras to the chickens.

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

Chickens and most other birds LOVE elderberries. I actually collect berry laden branches of wild elderberry in summer for them, and throw them into the chicken yard, and they go crazy. I, too, make elderberry syrup and jelly, and throw the scraps/remains into the compost. Chickens have access to the compost bins, but they don't really eat the cooked elderberry remains, probably because there is not much nutrition left in them.

But the bottom line is that elderberries, cooked or raw, are safe for chickens and other birds. There is some cyanide in the seeds but they poop most of the seeds out.

By the way, I have a wonderfully decadent use for elderberry syrup: Elderberry ice cream with chocolate hazelnut crunch. Here is the recipe for both the syrup and the ice cream:
http://ouroneacrefarm.com/elderberry-ice-cream-chocolate-hazelnut-crunch/