Horse Chestnuts?

[Gray Ghost]

I just picked up two bags of horse chestnuts under a nearby tree. Stomped on a few in the driveway to get them into fragments, and the chickens seem to like them. Anyone ever feed these to their chickens? Any problems with feeding these?

 

[denim deb]

Don't know about feeding them to chickens, but they're poisonous to humans, so don't eat them yourself! (And, they're also poisonous to horses.)

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
And they sting like heck when your brother chucks one and it hits you. As far as being edible--they can be eaten if you carefully prepare them by leaching out the tanic acid--like treating acorns--but I don't know why you'd want to. If the chicken eat them and don't die from it, then I guess it's ok--squirrels do and it doesn't have an adverse effect on their population.

 

[GardenerGal]

Squirrels as wild animals (that have lived alongside oaks and other tannin-containing plants for millennia) have the natural ability to metabolize the tannic acid in acorns, as well as the toxic elements in mushrooms that are poisonous to humans and many other animals. Not sure about chickens though. Leaching out the toxins is kind of a pain in the rear, so might not be worth the work.



Quote:
And they sting like heck when your brother chucks one and it hits you. As far as being edible--they can be eaten if you carefully prepare them by leaching out the tanic acid--like treating acorns--but I don't know why you'd want to. If the chicken eat them and don't die from it, then I guess it's ok--squirrels do and it doesn't have an adverse effect on their population.

 

[woodmort]

GardenerGal I agree, there is so much other stuff that chickens will eat with relish, why take the time to create something for them that may harm them?

 

[Gray Ghost]

I have perhaps more confidence than most people that my chickens won't eat what's not good for them.

As an update, I roasted a pan full of horse chestnuts (recipe: roast at 300 degrees for aprx. 1 hour or until first chestnut explodes. Then remove from oven.)

Then I put those in the driveway and stomped them and the chickens liked them a lot, a lot more than they liked the raw ones.

If all my chickens are dead tomorrow I will be sure to post on here and let you all know.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
That would win me all kinds of points with my DW.

 

[EricH]

haha, these "chestnuts" are probably better served in the garden. if you dont have a garden, might as well start gardening!