Is "tree of heaven" OK for chickens to eat?

[RomeoKat]

We have lots around our property, including one that shades the coop. I did see somewhere that the wood is fine for chickens (coops, roots, etc), but my Beloved Husband has also been tossing the leaves to the girls, and they gobble them up. I haven't seen any adverse effects, but since my middle name is "paranoid," I thought I'd ask the experts here ;-)

This is the tree I'm talking about: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_altissima

 

[rapturecidal]

yes they can eat it

 

[KRaZy_WaKa]

Hopefully it's safe for the chickens and they eat it all. It's an incredibly hard to kill invasive species and also the favorite place of the Spotted LanternFly and believed to be the one plant they can reproduce and thrive on. LanternFly is an invasive species of leaf hopper that's a detriment to crops. I spent some time force feeding those trees pesticides for a company I worked with in PA under contract with the USDA in an effort to try to combat the bug. Hopefully you don't end up with them around. Maybe chickens will be the solution to the spotted LanternFly and the USDA will release thousands of chickens into the wild

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

The concept of invasive species irradication with livestock instead of pesticides is fascinating to me. I feel more exploration on this topic would be good.

 

[KRaZy_WaKa]

The concept of invasive species irradication with livestock instead of pesticides is fascinating to me. I feel more exploration on this topic would be good.

I agree, but I think that's how some states ended up with wild hog problems as well.

The only reason we were killing the trees was to limit the spread of the Spotted LanternFly. I wonder if chickens could or would eat the LanternFly. I think they'd have a rough time surviving the winters in the wild if released as a containment/eradication method for LanternFly. The major problem with LanternFly elimination is the egg sacs survive the winter while the adults die off. But keeping the love population from spreading would surely help keep them from laying new egg sacs to hatch and move further in subsequent years.

 

[Sally PB]

Tree of Heaven is misnamed. It should be Tree of Hell.

Trivia: It's the tree in the title of the book, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.

 

[KRaZy_WaKa]

Tree of Heaven is misnamed. It should be Tree of Hell.

Trivia: It's the tree in the title of the book, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.

Lol, like most ornamentals brought over from Asia. Bamboo and Kudzu, for instance lol

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I agree, but I think that's how some states ended up with wild hog problems as well.

The only reason we were killing the trees was to limit the spread of the Spotted LanternFly. I wonder if chickens could or would eat the LanternFly. I think they'd have a rough time surviving the winters in the wild if released as a containment/eradication method for LanternFly. The major problem with LanternFly elimination is the egg sacs survive the winter while the adults die off. But keeping the love population from spreading would surely help keep them from laying new egg sacs to hatch and move further in subsequent years.

Yes, I'm doubtful that chickens could run wild and eradicate the lanternfly...I feel that in that way, "small" invasives are actually harder to deal with than larger ones.

The TREES the bugs live in, though, yeah, leaves as feed, trunks and branches as bedding. That'd work. YOu mentioned the wild hogs...I've long thought those (and the overabundance of deer) could become high protein chicken feed. Clearly, the chickens won't harvest them themselves, but humans could hunt the animals and use chickens as a high value "cleanup" method.

For invasive plants, it might be as easy as some well placed chicken tractors.

 

[KRaZy_WaKa]

Yes, I'm doubtful that chickens could run wild and eradicate the lanternfly...I feel that in that way, "small" invasives are actually harder to deal with than larger ones.

The TREES the bugs live in, though, yeah, leaves as feed, trunks and branches as bedding. That'd work. YOu mentioned the wild hogs...I've long thought those (and the overabundance of deer) could become high protein chicken feed. Clearly, the chickens won't harvest them themselves, but humans could hunt the animals and use chickens as a high value "cleanup" method.

For invasive plants, it might be as easy as some well placed chicken tractors.

Yeah, you're probably right, they would have to be groomed and bred for nearly a decade with a hunger for a specific bug. They're simply not picky enough eaters but if they find them tasty it sure couldn't hurt.


Hogs and deer should be relatively easy, more hunters. Higher bag limits when populations are up. Donate the meat and waste products, it's not like there aren't folks going hungry around the country. And the waste products can be used for livestock feed. Imagine a society where the circle of life is restored and dependency on highly processed foods is no longer the norm.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Yeah, you're probably right, they would have to be groomed and bred for nearly a decade with a hunger for a specific bug. They're simply not picky enough eaters but if they find them tasty it sure couldn't hurt.


Hogs and deer should be relatively easy, more hunters. Higher bag limits when populations are up. Donate the meat and waste products, it's not like there aren't folks going hungry around the country. And the waste products can be used for livestock feed. Imagine a society where the circle of life is restored and dependency on highly processed foods is no longer the norm.

Hunger for a specific bug, ability to live "wild", for sure...and then there's the whole "everything eats chicken" thing. which would require constant replenishing of the "bug eaters". That being said, agree that any chickens in a backyard flock that can pick off some lanternflies is a good thing.

The big problem with deer is that where they live and where we live is now the same in many places...kind of unsafe to hunt in a suburban neighborhood. Where it's safe, though, yeah, I'm with you on the rest!