Pea Foliage ?

[Beamerz]

I planted some peas in my garden, both chinese and regular shelling.. this fall ( too late) they almost made it and flowered but never got past that before it got to cold.. and we haven't had a hard freeze yet so the foliage is still hanging in there . I thought I might pull it and give it to the chickens who free ranged all summer as we live amongst big oak trees that sheltered them from hawks quite well until fall. They certainly enjoyed my many begonias while free ranging. Now that they are confined to a run, ( and they seem to be unimpressed with it) ... I'm learning how to try to move tunnels for them to access some grass but unable to keep up with any supply of greens. What say you all to the pea foliage? Thanks, I love this place.. So much to learn about raising these marvelous creatures..

 

[rosemarythyme]

It should be fine for them to eat, I trellis peas on the back of my chicken run so the chickens pick off whatever leaves are in reach.

 

[chickengr]

I planted some peas in my garden, both chinese and regular shelling.. this fall ( too late) they almost made it and flowered but never got past that before it got to cold.. and we haven't had a hard freeze yet so the foliage is still hanging in there . I thought I might pull it and give it to the chickens who free ranged all summer as we live amongst big oak trees that sheltered them from hawks quite well until fall. They certainly enjoyed my many begonias while free ranging. Now that they are confined to a run, ( and they seem to be unimpressed with it) ... I'm learning how to try to move tunnels for them to access some grass but unable to keep up with any supply of greens. What say you all to the pea foliage? Thanks, I love this place.. So much to learn about raising these marvelous creatures..

they will love it.

 

[Beamerz]

It should be fine for them to eat, I trellis peas on the back of my chicken run so the chickens pick off whatever leaves are in reach.

Thanks for your reply.. I'm sure they will be happy to see the greenery arrive.!

 

[Beamerz]

they will love it.

Thanks for that vote I needed to hear.. I know that the flowers "sweet peas" are toxic to chickens so I wanted to double check. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/sweet-peas-toxic-chickens-65732.html

 

[chickengr]

Thanks for that vote I needed to hear.. I know that the flowers "sweet peas" are toxic to chickens so I wanted to double check. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/sweet-peas-toxic-chickens-65732.html

that variety is not edible.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Decorative flowering sweet peas (L. odoratus) are not the same as garden peas, which include English/shelling, sugar, snap (P. sativum).

 

[Dephora]

I get why you would ask this question. I have also been confused by peas! When I first moved to Oregon I was surprised at the large amounts of wild peas in my area. Being a self sustaining kind of gal I did my research on our local wild variety. L. vestitus. They are toxic in large quantities and if prepared wrong. People out here actually do eat the shoots when young and the peas. After reading the symptoms if cooked wrong... I decided to stick to the actually edible kind that wont leave you locked in a bathroom if you under cook them. Your variety will be totally fine, this time of year your hens probably will be very excited to have the forage.

 

[Brenda Jones]

I sprout peas and other grains and seeds in a dish inside the house and take them out to my girls to munch on ... they love them. I am planning on sprouting some microgreens and broccoli for them later on in the winter as well. We are already getting into the low teens and the girls don't like to venture too much out of their run to forage when it is so cold

 

[Beamerz]

Decorative flowering sweet peas (L. odoratus) are not the same as garden peas, which include English/shelling, sugar, snap (P. sativum).

It's good to illuminate this fact because we wouldn't want any of our feathered loved ones getting sick. I'd actually planted sweet pea "flowers" in my garden near the fence and they didn't germinate, and when I learned about this I was glad they didn't. Thanks for your reply!