My chickens love this leaf... what is it?

[ERnoleGuy]

This tree has limbs that rests above my run and leaves are always falling on the ground. The chickens run and gobble them up the second they hit the ground. The seem to really love them. More so than any other greens they have ever had.

Question is: Does anybody know what it is and/or if it is for sure safe?

I'm assuming it's safe because they have been eating it for a while now with no visible ill side effects. I even ate one to see what it tasted like. Actually tasted like a nice fresh piece of spinach or something. Very tasty. :-D

The leaves are about 1/2" x 2".

The "tree" started out as a weed I couldn't manage to kill years ago.

 

[Camelot Farms]

It looks very much like my Thorny Locust...so if yours doesnt have thorns, maybe its a Locust?

 

[ERnoleGuy]

I did a google search and I believe you may indeed be right. It appears to be a "Thornless Honeylocust". Thanks so much! Makes sense because it does have those long seed pods during certain times of the year.

If anyone else feels differently, chime in please.

 

[Junkmanme]

I've got "thorny locust" growing WILD in my yard. Can't KILL the %$&*^# STUFF !!! Wish I could.

Now, maybe I'll feed it to the chickens! (Maybe THEY can kill it!)

I don't know if it's good or bad for chickens.

It sure looks like your pictures, except long sharp spikes that are dangerous!

beats me!

 

[ScoobyRoo]

For a second I was going to say 'Sumac' just because they leaf out the same way. I think?

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

Locust, for sure.

Sumac leaves are pointed at the end, I think...

eta: my chickens love to hang out under the locust trees. I always assumed that it was because of all the grasshoppers in the long grass! I learn something new everyday here!!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

my immediate reaction was locust.

 

[fordmommy]

Locust tree! They have thorns when they are young. HUGE thorns that hurt very bad. I know from experience. I was trimming some two summers ago and the clippers jammed and I ended up slamming my knuckles on the tree next to the one I was clipping. The thorn went right to the bone. I had to have antibiotics and a tetnis shot. It finally came out, with the help of my DH and digging at it for two weeks.

The spread like wild fire but they are beautiful and very fragrent in summer.(when they are bigger)

 

[Dinkadoo]

most definently a locust . We call it a honey locust. You can eat the inside of the fruit when it is ripe. Some people even ferment it to make locust beer.

 

[ERnoleGuy]

I am starting to have second thoughts about it being a honey locust. I did more google searches and mine doesn't have those nice white flowers like that ever. It currently has some type of flower thingy. It's similar to what my father refers to as a bottlebrush type flower (like those red brushy ones), but not exactly. The flowers on this tree have a stem about 3 inches or so, and at the end it looks kinda like a makeup brush or something, with about 100 or so 1 inch long little hairs that have a yellow/brown tint. I'll get a picture of it tomorrow; it's dark out now. That being said, any other ideas?