Expired garden seed as scattered treats? Problem/no problem?

[Lobzi]

I received some expired vegetable and flower garden seed from Freecycle thinking it might be fun for the chickens to find it scattered in the yard when they are hunting. Does anyone think this could be a problem for them to eat?

 

[ChickenToes]

I don't think it would be a problem. Wild birds eat seeds all the time.

 

[Lobzi]

Great!!! Thank you and that is what I thought too.

 

[dacjohns]

A lot of seeds are treated with a fungicide. Better check first.

 

[sred98]

Also some seeds/plants are poisonous. You need to check and see what they are and if they are safe for chickens before scattering! I would be really careful.

Sred98

 

[rooster-red]

Prepackaged seeds, I woudn't risk it. Just not worth the risk of feeding seeds that might be coated.

Seeds collected from my garden from last year, no problem unless its a plant that is toxic to chickens

 

[digitS']

Quote:
I wouldn't just say "a lot," I'd say "nearly all."

Steve's digits

 

[Lobzi]

How can I tell if treated or if it is a poisonous plant for chickens?

 

[digitS']

Quote:
I spent some time back in January trying to bring together some links to university sites for lists of poisonous plants. Perhaps that will be helpful.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=29111

I'm not even sure that organic seed is untreated and/or safe for livestock feeding. Organic pesticides are toxic, after all.

Steve

 

[chickster88]

Oh man, with all the research involved, it just seems easiest to play it safe and skip it. Besides the possibility of fungicides or fertilizer or poisonous plant seeds, there could be dried up old mold or mildew that you can't see against the colouring of the seeds themselves.