Nandina Berries

[CoopmasterK]

My girls are in an enclosed run cleaning up my garden plot for the winter. I give them fresh cut grass daily as well as other goodies from around the yard such as pokeberries and dogwood berries. I have access to a bounty of nandina berries (the red ones) I would love to give them but I don't know if it's safe. Does anyone have any info or experience feeding nandina berries? I hate to pass up a good free food supplement. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandina

Very toxic to us, but apparently not to birds.

.....Alan.

 

[alicefelldown]

I wouldn't if only because of how invasive a species it is. Feeding it to your birds only allows the seeds to spread more. I'd yank that sucker out and burn its remains.

http://www.sustainablegardeningblog.com/archives/366
http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/SB_N.html

 

[CoopmasterK]

Thanks for your help and advice. I'm going to check with a few long time chicken keepers in my area and see if they have anything to add. I'll post my findings in a day or two. I think perhaps the variety of nandina in my area is a hybrid as it is sold and widely used as a landscape plant for homes and shopping centers. The reason I believe it is a hybrid is that there is no invasive component to these nandina so I suspect the seeds/berries are not fertile. Thanks again for the help and I'll post any new info that I find.