My 4 and a half week old chicks ate tomato leaves. HELP!!

[Kearaaaa23]

I know tomato leaves and raw tomatoes could be dangerous for chickens but mine are still chicks and ate around 6 small newer leaves and I'm scared because they've never had this much before, only a few nibbles but nothing much but today they managed to get in and eat a ton. They eat other leaf like spinach and veggies and mixes of grain but I'm still concerned. Any help or advice??

 

[Theorrin]

the leaves are pretty bad for them. will cause some issues so id keep an eye on them. if u can get ahold of a vet id do that. leaves could cause gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, diarrhea, and neurological issues due to the solanine

 

[Kearaaaa23]

the leaves are pretty bad for them. will cause some issues so id keep an eye on them. if u can get ahold of a vet id do that. leaves could cause gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, diarrhea, and neurological issues due to the solanine

Vets are really hard to get a hold of, is there anything else I can do to help them?

 

[Kay-T-Hammer]

I know tomato leaves and raw tomatoes could be dangerous for chickens but mine are still chicks and ate around 6 small newer leaves and I'm scared because they've never had this much before, only a few nibbles but nothing much but today they managed to get in and eat a ton. They eat other leaf like spinach and veggies and mixes of grain but I'm still concerned. Any help or advice??

My chickens are always eating tomato leaves and tomatoes. They love them. I have never seen any problem with them, health-wise.


I read somewhere that it would take 1 chicken eating 20 plants to actually cause death. I like to think of it this way: Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, yet mine eats chocolate occasionally when she gets into the trash. She is not dead. Yet if she ate a pan of brownies, I would be rushing her to the vet ASAP.

 

[Theorrin]

My chickens are always eating tomato leaves and tomatoes. They love them. I have never seen any problem with them, health-wise.


I read somewhere that it would take 1 chicken eating 20 plants to actually cause death. I like to think of it this way: Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, yet mine eats chocolate occasionally when she gets into the trash. She is not dead. Yet if she ate a pan of brownies, I would be rushing her to the vet ASAP.

this. im going off the "ton" that was stated. id just keep an eye on them. if they get sick then id worry but if not then theyll be fine

 

[Kay-T-Hammer]

this. im going off the "ton" that was stated. id just keep an eye on them. if they get sick then id worry but if not then theyll be fine

They are only 4.5 weeks old. Their crops would be uncomfortably full, and they would be vomiting, if they ate a lethal amount.

 

[Kearaaaa23]

They are only 4.5 weeks old. Their crops would be uncomfortably full, and they would be vomiting, if they ate a lethal amount.

How much is a "lethal amount" I'm quite confused as many people and google are saying different things and I don't quite know how much a "large quantity" or "lethal amount" is

 

[Kay-T-Hammer]

How much is a "lethal amount" I'm quite confused as many people and google are saying different things and I don't quite know how much a "large quantity" or "lethal amount" is

I have found that many people are misguided in a lot of their information. It is like listening to conspiracy theorists, in my opinion. Just let your chickens be chickens, and do their chicken things. They are not stupid animals. They know what they are doing. I have found that micromanaging their diet gets me bit and scratched a lot, so I prefer to just let them do what they are going to do.


And do not just feed them the plants. They are going to eat some, and that is not going to kill them. But do not purposely feed them the plants. Does that make sense? If they go out of their way to eat them, then let them have some. But if you yourself are treating them to it then they will indulge more. Only step in if you find that they will touch no other food and are only going for the tomato plants; that is not healthy in any way for them. Their daily chick feed should make up the majority of their intake and that will mean that they cannot and will not eat a lethal amount of the tomato plants; there just would not be enough room in their crops for all of it.

 

[Nomadicus]

Mine wiped out my wife's container garden of tomato plants and the only harm done was to the tomatoes....

 

[Kay-T-Hammer]

Mine wiped out my wife's container garden of tomato plants and the only harm done was to the tomatoes....

RIP tomatoes.