I'd be more cautious with chickens that were kept in a run with no/few other options but I've always trusted them to choose to eat things that won't kill them (when it comes to natural things like plants, anyway - I wouldn't entirely trust them not to eat metal or plastic!) I know it contains oxalic acid which can be toxic in large quantities and interfere with calcium absorption but so do loads of other plants. I know with horses and cattle there's a risk that they'll accidentally eat things in hay that they'd notice and know to avoid as a live plant. Ime chickens will pick through hay for seeds and maybe eat a small amount of dried grass but they aren't munching on huge mouthfuls like a cow would, so I imagine that reduces the risk too.

My chickens do eat a decent amount of dockens but they'll also ignore it in favour of something else at times, so there's apparently some kind of decision making going on there. They can be very particularly about seeking out specific plants or types of food (seeds, flowers, insects...) at times. They have free choice access to oyster or other shells, so can regulate their own intake of calcium.

Interesting to read in your link that the seeds aren't viable after being eaten by chickens! Dockens can be fairly invasive and hard to get rid of once they're established here, so clearly armies of chickens is the way to go :lau They're very common here, to the point that pretty much anyone with a little patch of garden that isn't totally paved over or weeded/sprayed constantly will have some growing.
And of course armies of chickens may be the way to go for many of life’s issues!
 
Hi everyone.

I missed the last 2 pony Sundays. I could save this video for the next one but I will just have to take another.

The shrimplets have grown. They are big enough the light is left on for 12 hours at a time now. I just love watching them swim around doing their own Shrimpy things. Also look how tiny the little snails are. I let her have this hatch and their are little snails everywhere, no more to hatch for a while. The darn things already laid another clutch a few days ago that I just found and need to remove. I plan on giving them a few more days for their shells to harden up and I am then going to put a piece of blanched cucumber in the bottom of the tank. My co-workers daughter just set up a small tank and wants some baby snails and shrimp. However many snails end up on the cucumber she can have. I will let go of 5 shrimp.


Shrimp tax
DSCN5227.JPG
 
Hi everyone.

I missed the last 2 pony Sundays. I could save this video for the next one but I will just have to take another.

The shrimplets have grown. They are big enough the light is left on for 12 hours at a time now. I just love watching them swim around doing their own Shrimpy things. Also look how tiny the little snails are. I let her have this hatch and their are little snails everywhere, no more to hatch for a while. The darn things already laid another clutch a few days ago that I just found and need to remove. I plan on giving them a few more days for their shells to harden up and I am then going to put a piece of blanched cucumber in the bottom of the tank. My co-workers daughter just set up a small tank and wants some baby snails and shrimp. However many snails end up on the cucumber she can have. I will let go of 5 shrimp.


Shrimp tax
View attachment 4237015
Is there shrimp math and snail math like there is chicken math?
 
Has toxicity levels been measured for poultry/farm animal consumption? Some dock species are hazardous in larger edible quantities? We don't have open field ~ only a backyard so I'm not familar w/ wild weeds. I panic though when I come across articles like this:

https://weedguide.cfaes.osu.edu/singlerecord.asp?id=38
"Leaves may cause mild dermatitis in some individuals. These plants have been used as a laxative, astringent, and in cooking. The plants are generally not considered poisonous, however curly dock seeds are reported as being toxic to chickens. Cattle and horses can become ill if large quantities of leaves are consumed."

Some leafy plants can be used as birth control also. Pick a leaf, hold it tightly between the knees, and there ya go, instant birth control! :lau Sorry I still have altitude Attitude 🤪😁
 
Has toxicity levels been measured for poultry/farm animal consumption? Some dock species are hazardous in larger edible quantities? We don't have open field ~ only a backyard so I'm not familar w/ wild weeds. I panic though when I come across articles like this:

https://weedguide.cfaes.osu.edu/singlerecord.asp?id=38
"Leaves may cause mild dermatitis in some individuals. These plants have been used as a laxative, astringent, and in cooking. The plants are generally not considered poisonous, however curly dock seeds are reported as being toxic to chickens. Cattle and horses can become ill if large quantities of leaves are consumed."


My kiddos ate 4 large beef-steak tomato plants down to the stem…. They lived 😳 lucky birds I didn’t clobber them! They also ate all the lovely tomatoes that were almost ready to pick. 🤨
 
Only way to live and thrive is to have communication and caring friends. Paul can always reach me by radio in my plane, for emergencies. He’s also a great chicken sitter (in a pinch) :D
The roo is fine, he just had a burr stuck deep in his beak. Dakota got airsickness coming back, but she’s fine now. I’m sick because of the price of AVGas these days! :barnie

Super glad he is doing ok, they sure are a big worry to us.

But they do have good points!
 
My kiddos ate 4 large beef-steak tomato plants down to the stem…. They lived 😳 lucky birds I didn’t clobber them! They also ate all the lovely tomatoes that were almost ready to pick. 🤨
Well, that bites! ☹️
 
Super glad he is doing ok, they sure are a big worry to us.

But they do have good points!
The fact that I love them, I would do anything I have to, as they count on me and are in my care. They are family.
 

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