nightshade berries

[emvdt]

Can my chickens eat the red berries from the bittersweet or deadly nightshade plants?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.library.illinois.edu/vex/toxic/nightsha/nightsh.htm

I found this link- if this is what you are referring to, it doesn't sound good.

 

[emvdt]

thanks, but it still doesn't tell me if the chickens can eat the ripened red berries safely......

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I would not worry too much about what your chickens eat that they find growing in their environment. All birds to include chickens commonly consume naturally occurring strychnine without harm.

What's one mans' poison is another mans' tonic and visa versa.

Sorry that I can't provide a more definite answer.

 

[emvdt]

thanks, anybody else have any thoughts on this before I go picking the berries and giving them to my girls.....

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I wouldn't, why risk it, we have them all over and I don't think anything eats them.

 

[centrarchid]

Bittersweet I think not a problem. Nightshade mine sometimes eat but I think they only do when very hungry and may suffer later.

 

[emvdt]

Thanks everyone...guess I won't give them to the girls...I'll stick to grapes, which they love!!!!!

 

[Folly's place]

Apparently wild birds do eat nightshade berries, because the darned stuff springs up everywhere! I pull the plants up wherever I find them for disposal, and would never feed them to my birds! Mary

 

[centrarchid]

Apparently wild birds do eat nightshade berries, because the darned stuff springs up everywhere!  I pull the plants up wherever I find them for disposal, and would never feed them to my birds!  Mary

For many of us, pulling up all the plants is not practical. Even mowing does not prevent setting of fruit in my pasture. Therefore birds will have access the berries, especially in winter as other greens become less palatable.