Free range chickens

[waibel zoo]

I wanted to know are chicken smart enough not to eat poisonous plants? Also how much will they venture into my flower beds? I don't have veggies or fruit growing, just flowers.

 

[gritsar]

My chickens free range on 80 acres, most of which has been allowed to grow wild. None have been poisoned from eating things they shouldn't.
They'll destroy your flower beds scratching around, hunting and a pecking.

 

[Akane]

Chickens don't seem very sensitive to poisonous plants and given anything better to eat they won't ingest much. They do love gardens and flower beds. They will wipe out a vegetable garden and dig dirt bath pits in most loose garden soil. It's best to fence gardens or at least mulch heavily between plants if free ranging chickens. There was someone that covered all their mulch and areas between plants in netting to keep the chickens from digging it all out.

 

[sundance]

mine free range, but I keep flowers and gardens fenced, they like them to much. marrie

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Mine were just out cultivating in the perennial bed. They don't spend too much time in there and the established perennials don't seem to have too much of a problem with it. They can take out little annuals in a hurry!

They much prefer scratching around in the areas with leaves. Or trying to get at the veggies.

 

[waibel zoo]

What about rhubarb.I forgot I have a couple of those in my flower beds. The leaves are poisonous.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

They've never bothered mine.