Regarding foraging, and how chickens decide what is edible and what is not, I came across this in my reading to identify what's growing wild here:
"This is also a test of bravery the first few times you do it . So again ONLY if you are 100% sure you have a Russula! Have a tiny nibble of the flesh and leave the slightly chewed bit on the tip of your tongue for about 15 seconds.
If you start to feel a burning a bit like a hot chilly then spit it out. Doing this with even the most toxic Russula will not harm you in any way."
I should add it goes on to say NEVER USE THE NIBBLE TEST FOR ANY OTHER FAMILY OF FUNGI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.wildfooduk.com/articles/identifying-russulas/
I guess the chickens are doing something like this.
"This is also a test of bravery the first few times you do it . So again ONLY if you are 100% sure you have a Russula! Have a tiny nibble of the flesh and leave the slightly chewed bit on the tip of your tongue for about 15 seconds.
If you start to feel a burning a bit like a hot chilly then spit it out. Doing this with even the most toxic Russula will not harm you in any way."
I should add it goes on to say NEVER USE THE NIBBLE TEST FOR ANY OTHER FAMILY OF FUNGI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.wildfooduk.com/articles/identifying-russulas/
I guess the chickens are doing something like this.