Sheesh! is this toxic plant list for real???

[socks]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions everyone. I have been feeding some kale from our garden every day to our chicks but just a leaf or 3 divided amongst several birds. And as I intend to continue 'tractoring' the chicks till their run is done I'm not going to worry.


I do see some sense to the caution to not toss something toxic into the pen for them because anything I approach them with they expect is a treat and lay into it with vigor!

I'll check out that site digitS', thanks

and azelglin

I vote paranoid too. Vinca is supposed to be an hallucinogen. how can I tell if my chickens are hallucinating?

maybe if they keep on coming back to eat it and have silly grins on their faces???

 

[nwgirl]

I do not see strawberries listed on the toxic plant list. The strawberry bush is toxic, but the Strawberry Fragaria virginiana and F. vesca are not listed as toxic. I feed them to my hens - they love 'em!

 

[fordmommy]

Yeah, I think that list is crazy. You don't see chickens kealing over from eating stuff found in just about everyone's back yard.

Plus, I think some of these people are is right. If it is bad for them...they will instinctively know what is bad for them as far as plants go.

Plus, my chicks seem to taste everything before they eat it.

 

[CrazyFowlFreak]

If your chickens are hallucinating, I'd bet they would waddle around clucking,"Woah, dude! Bok-bok."

 

[Ducklove334]

the chickens AND ducks LOVE cherries...they're still kickin!

 

[TXmom]

When I first got my chickens and then my goats...I was so worried because I have no idea what is growing out in my 1.5 acres. I look at those lists and don't know what most of it looks like, so how do I know if I have it? Well, my chickens and goats are still alive and there are certain plants they DON'T eat, so I either don't have anything extremely toxic, or they know what to stay away from. I still worry about it though...

 

[newchickmom09]

I think they might know what is good for them and what isn't. I have mexican primrose all along my house and my roosters before I had to rehome them LOVED the flowers off of the plants. But they never ate the green parts (leaves and stems). That list that you put says that the green parts of primrose is poisonous. They mainly picked at my hybiscus, garden, and those flowers. I think they know what makes them feel sick.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Quote:
I vote paranoid too. Vinca is supposed to be an hallucinogen. how can I tell if my chickens are hallucinating?

If they start going to Grateful Dead concerts, that's a clue.

 

[ji]

My chickens ate lots of foxglove and buttercups. This was when they were small. I still see them eat buttercups on occasion.
My current opinion is that they seem to know pretty well what to eat when it comes to natural plants (they don't touch potato greens, they DO eat potatoes) but where they seem to get into trouble is with man made things - like styrofoam, or burgers for that matter.
I would be more concerned feeding my chickens the typical American fast food diet than I would about ANYTHING they might find in the wild or in the garden.

 

[LynneP]

Actually, it's the root and core of the cabbage you avoid. Use the leaves, finely shredded as a high-calcium treat.