Poisonous plants

[LO chicks]

Help! I didn't know that vinca minor was poisonous and have had it in the chicken yard for a couple years and they have never touched it. I went out the other day and noticed that they have picked it clean! They aren't sick and are acting fine but I'm concerned. We have also been eating their eggs and now I'm wondering if there could be traces of it in the eggs.

 

[boskelli1571]

Hi there, usually chickens & other animals are very savvy about poisonous plants and what not. Remove all the vinca roots so that it doesn't re-sprout. If the chickens aren't sick, it's not likely you will become sick since it would be relatively minute doses IF it passed into the eggs. Most poisons are processed out by the liver & kidneys in all organisms.

 

[boskelli1571]

We're all still learning!!

 

[dawg53]

I've seen my birds eat the purple flowers off a wisteria vine without any problems. Of course it couldve been another part of the vine, bark or root they couldve eaten and mightve dropped dead on the spot. For the most part, they instinctively know what's good to eat and what isnt.