Poisonous Plants that could harm chickens/ducks

[Wokawidget]

Hi,

I have just lanscaped 200m^2 of garden and I am in the process of kitting it out with old railway sleepers (untreated) and a massive selection of plants.
My Campbell duck and 3 chickens have taken an interest in the new foliage and I am constantly chasing them away.
I have bough quite a few ferns, tree ferns and large grasses for the shaded areas around the pond.

I know ferns are poisonous to most animals and so they don't get eaten...but one of my chickens can help taking a mouthful.

Is this something I should be concerned with?
Are there any plants I should avoid like the plague...for example are foxgloves ok?

cheers,

Woka

 

[flockof4]

No foxglove. Very poisonous to birds and humans. There is a list of plants that are poisonous to chickens on this site. I think it's under the Feeding and Watering section. But definitely keep them away from the foxglove. Not sure about the ferns. Mine sometimes peck at a fern, but don't really eat it.

 

[Imp]

Here's a couple lists. I kinda think they are too extensive. I've had my chickens eat poisonous plants with no ill effects. I'm not recommending it, just saying.

I would try to keep them away from any plants you are trying to grow or are worried about

http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxicplants.html

http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/ce/king/PoisPlant/Tox-COM.htm

Imp

 

[Wokawidget]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

1) Link has trillions of plants...including onions etc...a bit ott if you ask me.
2) Link doesn't work: 404 - File or directory not found.


I have now fenced off 1/2 my garden is workmans bright orange temp fencing. Looks rubbish...but as least it will keep the naughty critters off my new plants for a few months until they are established.

I know foxgloves are poisonous...but do critters eat them not knowing how nasty they are?
Where I grew up I can't remember seeing dead game birds laying around a clump of foxgloves, so I am assuming that the animals in the forest simple ignore foxgloves.

Woka

 

[MomMommyMamma]

Reviving this thread - I am wanting to plant some flowers and plants around the chicken pen. My thought is that the plants will be close enough to allow the chickens to peck at some leaves but not close enough for them to kill the plants. In reviewing the list linked above, I am now wondering if anything can be planted near the chickens. Marigolds and sunflowers are listed as no-nos. I have snapdragons, foxglove, and tall grasses. I guess I kind of thought that chickens wouldn't eat plants that were harmful to them - am I wrong? They'll chow down on marigolds and foxglove when they have feed readily available?
Thanks!

 

[graciesmum]

So do chickens avoid bad things?

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

So do chickens avoid bad things?

Not always...

 

[graciesmum]

They have been free range for 2 weeks and I only noticed today that there are less foxgloves than there was, all my girls are fine and happy, they have loads of room and lots of things to peck at and to forage, so it's not because that's all there is or bordem, like I say they are fine was even Sun bathing today and then chasing each other in the rain, so is it poisonous if it's alot????

 

[haney0627]

I saw Kale on the toxic plant list but my chickens have been eating the stuff in the garden since last summer! I also was planing on planting iris's today but am wondering if I shouldn't with free range chickens and ducks. What do you guys think?

 

[chicknmania]

I just wanted to bring this up again with spring/ summer coming on and I was looking for some info about Foxglove, and I came across this thread. Our peahens (especially) and peacocks are into eating flowers if they can, so I didn't buy the beautiful foxglove plants (that I love) until I had a chance to research. I probably won't take a chance with Foxglove, but, I think with most of the plants on the list above, the birds aren't going to ingest enough to be toxic. They do have some sense about what to eat and what not to. We've had several of the cultivated plants on the list at different times, and some grow wild. Although we've worried about it a few times, it all seemed to work out ok...so far anyway. I've kept an eye on them several times and if they have a lot of options, they don't concentrate on one particular plant anyway as a rule. Any foraging animal or bird is going to come across one toxic plant or another, you can't keep them away from everything.