Help! Chickens ate unknown fruit :0

[tjo804]

can any one help me identify this tree? I am leaning towards wild plum but have not noticed it flower or fruit before the chicken got it. The fruit when green on the tree resembles a cherry tomato. It has a stone pit inside ripe purple almost black fruit. The flesh is also dark purple in color. But the juice is more brownish purple like blood almost. It seems to grow in clumps when we moved here years ago I pulled a bunch up thinking it was thicket.
Here are some pictures


Please help me identify this tree so I know if it is safe for my ladies.
Thank you for your help

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm pretty sure that is not plums. This time of the year in Texas I'm not sure what that is.

I suggest you talk to your county extension office and send those photos. They should be able to tell you what it is and whether or not it is safe. Chickens forage in all kinds of areas and hardly ever eat anything that causes harm. I think it is a good idea for you to find out what it is but I'd not worry in your position.

 

[Chickassan]

That is a persimmon, no worries at all.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Pretty sure that is a persimmon that grows native to your area, it should be fine for the chickens

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_texana

 

[Chickassan]

You can eat those too,but they're bitter until the frost hits the fruit.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

That is a persimmon, no worries at all.

Pretty sure that is a persimmon that grows native to your area, it should be fine for the chickens

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_texana

It is persimmon.

 

[tjo804]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate all of your time.

You can eat those too,but they're bitter until the frost hits the fruit.

Could I put it in the freezer to speed thing up?

 

[tjo804]

Pretty sure that is a persimmon that grows native to your area, it should be fine for the chickens

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diospyros_texana

Great link Thank you.
May have to see what other munchies God has seen fit to bless me with

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm surprised that persimmon are ripening this time of the year, but there are many different varieties of persimmon. Some wild, some domesticated. The ones I'm familiar with are yellow/orange when ripe, no where near that dark. I think Ozark Biddies nailed it with that variety which I've never seen.

The persimmons I'm used to ripen with age, not because of the cold. I had trees in Arkansas that were not sweet until the fruit had totally dried up and tuned waxy. They actually looked pretty ugly and were a bit astringent even when ripe but were really sweet. Some years with very late frosts they were ripe before any frosts. I used them for preserves and persimmon bread.

Some varieties are sweet and edible before they dry up and turn waxy. Some varieties are sold at the store that are still very juicy. My suggestion is to try one as is. Then experiment with the fridge and freezer to see if that makes a difference. But as for your chickens, those will not harm them and you obviously do not need to refrigerate or freeze them for the chickens.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Great link Thank you.
May have to see what other munchies God has seen fit to bless me with

Rumor has it that chickens are edible

Although I've noticed mine work very hard at playing up their pet qualities and playing down playing their tasty qualities... and if one of them catches me looking hungry they just step in some poop or something and I'm over it... I think they have me figured out

btw, it was the "criss cross" bark in your photos that clued me in to it being a persimmon.... I saw your lone star location and just googled 'texas persimmon' and voila!