Native plants and chickens

[Bluestem]

I plan on putting my coop and run in what was previously a native plant garden. There's still plenty of plants growing in there, though they've wound down for the winter. My question is, does anyone know if any of these plants are harmful to chickens? If so, I'll dig them up and move them outside of the run. I know the chickens will probably dig and peck them to death, I just don't want my birds to be harmed by it.

Here's the species I grow:
Purple coneflower
Pale purple coneflower
Grey-headed coneflower
Butterfly weed
Anise Hyssop
False blue indigo
Royal catchfly
Great blue lobelia
Leadplant
Golden Alexander
New Jersey tea
Rattlesnake master
Nodding Onion
Bee Balm
Cup Plant
Liatris
Prairie Dropseed
Little bluestem
and some gooseneck

Thanks for any help!

 

[mesafox101]

i could be wrong but i think they are ok but i would get further confurmation

 

[Folly's place]

Check about the butterfly weed and lobelia. I'm not a botanist!!! Mary

 

[aart]

Chances are they'll dig/scratch them enough to kill them before they can eat enough to harm them.

If you want to keep any of those plants you'd better move them before chickens are introduced.

 

[MilburnCreek]

Oh, the False Indigo and Bee Balm will definitely hurt them...please dig them up and ship them to me ASAP!

 

[lazy gardener]

Here's the species I grow:
Purple coneflower
Pale purple coneflower
Grey-headed coneflower
Butterfly weed
Anise Hyssop
False blue indigo
Royal catchfly
Great blue lobelia
Leadplant
Golden Alexander
New Jersey tea
Rattlesnake master
Nodding Onion
Bee Balm
Cup Plant
Liatris
Prairie Dropseed
Little bluestem
and some gooseneck


The ones on your list that I've moved to the right are highly suspect. IMO, Purple cone flower and Bee balm are ok. My birds don't touch Liatris. I don't know any of your other plants. Generally, any plant that has white sap is suspect. (go figure that statement, I love dandelion greens!) I think I'd want to do a google search on each of your plants and see what is said about their toxicity.

 

[Bluestem]

Oh, the False Indigo and Bee Balm will definitely hurt them...please dig them up and ship them to me ASAP!

Hey, I plan on starting up my own nursery, so maybe this spring I'll actually have some baby plants to ship!

 

[Bluestem]

Generally, any plant that has white sap is suspect.

A good guide! Thank you! After double checking one of my books, it looks like milkweeds are definitely poisonous (duh, I should've known! Of course monarch caterpillars eat them to become toxic to predators! )

 

[Bluestem]

Chances are they'll dig/scratch them enough to kill them before they can eat enough to harm them.

If you want to keep any of those plants you'd better move them before chickens are introduced.

Digging is underway! Of course, some of these plants I wouldn't mind if they destroyed. lol

 

[leachacres]

I plan on putting my coop and run in what was previously a native plant garden. There's still plenty of plants growing in there, though they've wound down for the winter. My question is, does anyone know if any of these plants are harmful to chickens? If so, I'll dig them up and move them outside of the run. I know the chickens will probably dig and peck them to death, I just don't want my birds to be harmed by it.

Here's the species I grow:
Purple coneflower
Pale purple coneflower
Grey-headed coneflower
Butterfly weed
Anise Hyssop
False blue indigo
Royal catchfly
Great blue lobelia
Leadplant
Golden Alexander
New Jersey tea
Rattlesnake master
Nodding Onion
Bee Balm
Cup Plant
Liatris
Prairie Dropseed
Little bluestem
and some gooseneck

Thanks for any help!

This site might help. http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxicplants.html