oleander

[henryetta]

I have read some but not enough on this subject :-( I have a beautiful oleander next to my chicks favorite shade bush which they have access to all day if they so desire during 'free' time. the thing is, some of those leaves of course fall in they're favorite area, and i just feel i should

go ahead and remove that perty bush (and lesson shade in the mean time:/ ). Any suggestion? i am a tree/bush lover as well, but if it has to go for they're sake, so be it

 

[Love my Critters!]

I don't know but I want to also find out because I would like to plant some on one side of the coop for shading the coop. The chickens do not have direct access to this part but some leaves and blooms may blow into the area they free range in. Very good question, hopefully someone with experience will write in.

 

[goldenluver]

oleander is deadly, so yeah not good to have in the coop. I find my chickens won't eat every kind of plant leaf so it is possible that they won't eat it. If you remove it put something else in it's place. If it's a sfe plant you may need to put a cage around it so they don't eat it bare, my roses are bare right now, and I have artichokes in the coop that I put a cage if ckicken wire around the stailks because they nwere eating the up.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have oleander plants. My chickens free range during the day and have never even pecked at my plants....and if they have and I don't know it then it never made them sick.

 

[mypicklebird]

Oleander is a well known toxic plant- it kills many animals yearly, and has killed people too. I think this plant has no place in an area that animals or kids access on a regular basis. There are so many non toxic & good shade plants around, why use oleander? It's redeeming qualities are it needs little water once established and has pretty flowers- but there are plenty of plants that fit these criteria. Even if chickens leave it alone most of the time- the clippings/leaves/flowers are dangerous if they get mixed into hoof stock food by accident. Young chickens can be pretty silly about the things they sample as well- they pick at weeds and things that the adult birds won't touch.

 

[jasonbennett1]

I've noticed that my chickens will pick at anything green that grows or falls in the run when they are locked in, but when they get their free range time they are much more particular about what plants they eat. From your post it sounds like they could only access it while free ranging. If that's true, then my opinion is that they should be fine. It's a risk/reward thing. Is the risk (however high or low it might be) of the chickens dying worth the reward of having the plant in your yard? If so, keep things as they are.

It wouldn't be worth it to me, but I have dogs, cats, chickens, and a child who all share the same yard at times.

 

[TurtleFeathers]

When landscaping any type of enclosure or yard that children or animals will have access to, remember the word "COLAS", as it pertains to 5 of the deadliest plants:

C is for Castor Bean
O is for Oleander
L is for Lillium family (Asiatic lillies, NOT daylillies/hemerocallis sp.)
A is for Azalea (including rhododendrons)
S is for Sago palm

Foxglove and morning glories are also highly toxic.

(this little tidbit came to me from a friend at the World Chelonian Trust after my sister's dog died from ingesting Castor beans - you can read the story here if you want: http://kathysk9designs.homestead.com/daisy.html)

Personally, I wouldn't allow any of these plants to grow anywhere on my property.

Kathy

 

[henryetta]

I thank you all for your info.... I went strait out to the bush and 'did the deed' within an hour of reading your posts. I spent the next few hours cutting all the branches from neighbors bush as well.... I feel so much better. I actually put a net thing so that leaves wont even fall on property... thanks again.