My girls destroyed my first crop of potato plants this spring, and they showed no ill effects. They figured out how to move the netting out of their way to get to the leaves and stems. They are still perfectly healthy. There is very little that is actually toxic to them. And they tend to avoid those things. They can even eat black widow and brown recluse spiders without any problems.
The tomato fruit itself is not toxic and ok for chickens if they like to eat them. It's the tomato plant - stalk, vines, and leaves that are toxic for chickens or humans to eat.
I don't use flimsy netting but a long 50-ft roll of rubber-coated green rabbit fencing around the garden plants to keep out the chickens. With potatoes there have been warnings regarding the raw peels. One woman in India was feeding her chickens a diet high in onions and garlic and couldn't understand why her chickens were ill! Here are some websites I use to reference plants or treats around pets:
And you're probably right about moderation since a one-time access to a tomato plant probably isn't death-defying - as one owner had her flock eat a styrofoam block in the yard and it just came out the way it went into the chickens! But I have accessed info on toxic vs safe plants to know what florals and veggies are safest in the yard just to be certain. Some chickens are smart to avoid the "bad" plants but if good plant vegetation isn't available they WILL eat the bad stuff.Yep, I have to agree regarding the tomato plants ... mine didn't get the memo not to eat them and appear to have suffered no side effects
I think it comes down to everything in moderation; may be a glutton of tomato plants in one sitting or daily over doses may be harmful while every now and then, not so much?
One can hope the chicken has enough sense to know what's safe to eat but they are naturally curious and may not listen to their ancestral instinct.Mine ate the tomatoes off first and then systematically stripped the leaves off the stems. They will usually take a sample to see if they like something. I think that in most cases they know what is not good for them. Mine nibble most of the herbs but haven't totaled them like the maters.
Ohh lovely and I love the "observation deck" situated where you can swing and watch Chicken TV... Nice ventilation too.
Plant cover over the new dig barrier.
I lost half the plants I had from relocation to pots from the old dig barrier which is now inside the new run.Will look for discounted silver mound and herbs.
