geese ducks and easter lilies. . .

[cici_p]

I am wondering if anybody has ducks or geese free-ranging around easter lilies or similar flowers. We have quite a few on our property, and I have heard they are toxic if eaten? I just realized there are some back where I am hoping to free range the birds. Are they toxic and will the birds leave them alone?
Thanks!

 

[goosedragon]

I can't answer for ducks because my geese always beat them to the lilies!

"easter" lilies could refer to any number of different lilies, some may be toxic, All I can tell you for sure is that my geese would eat them with the only Ill effect being my foot print on their tails if I caught them. I learned that you had to put up wire fence to keep them out at least 6" farther out than I thought they could reach with their long necks. ~gd

 

[cici_p]

And just to clarify, I am not that worried about the flowers' wellbeing, just more worried about the well-being of the ducks and geese.
LOL

 

[goosedragon]

Generally geese are good judges of what they can safely eat. Have you ever watched them with a new plant, mine would take one careful bite first and if they thought it was OK then they would eat them. If bad they would spit out and then wash their mouth with water.
If you know the exact name of the lily you could check on a toxic plant site but there are many plants called easter lily...~gd