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

[thedoors5to1]

Quote:
its so funny you say your drake likes packing peanuts, the chickens at my work eat, and are obsessed with stryofoam, they go crazy for it!! its a little strange.. and its very hard to keep them from sneaking to it.

whats up with the birds and the foam products, sheesh!

 

[mrott91]

Here's the deal for me on this subject.

I'm glad for the people who are concerned about their chickens eating toxic plants!! I know us concerned may seem paranoid, but I'm nervous as well about what my chickens eat BECAUSE, although I don't want my chickens harmed, I also don't want myself, family or friends to be harmed from consuming eggs that may or may not have had toxic substances passed down through to the egg.

My chickens were eating Braken Ferns free ranging and of course that was on the list. After much research, I consulted 2 vets for a definite answer whether eating Braken Ferns were toxic to my chickens and me when eating their eggs. I felt like I really didn't get definite answers. One vet told me a name of a "chicken expert" to contact via email at our State University. He assured me this person would respond. 2 emails sent no response.

Now the other vet said she couldn't find anything regarding Braken Ferns in her Chicken vet books. Just to keep them away if I was concerned. She felt that most stuff a chicken eats passes through quickly except for thinks like Mercury, etc. She also mentioned what someone else mentioned...things toxic to some animals get on lists and the plants may not be toxic to chickens in particular. I still don't feel confident with her answer. We saw them eating them and were feeding the ferns to them as "treats" when penned. Maybe I'm looking for a definite NO to feel satisfied.

I would love for an expert on chickens to create a toxic plants list just for poultry and the consequences to the chicken and human friend eating the eggs if the chickens had been eating them!!

~Off my soap box, but still concerned~

 

[buckbye]

^So you're talking about a list of plants poisonous to *you*, not a list of plants poisonous to chickens.

 

[laurelhed]

I'm with you all on the paranoid page. My Cayuga duck demolished a split leaf philodendron as a youngster and is large, lovely, and sassy 3 years later. And my ducks and chickens munch taro leaves pretty regularly. The styrofoam is crazy though. I wonder if my ducks in particular think it might be a calcium source? Or if they just enjoy the chewy texture? Anyway, let common sense prevail and pay attention to your flock and I'm sure all will be fine.