Should I be concerned

[CathyB]

Ok, on the side of my coop, not the run side, is an oak tree. Now I am worried sick about acorns and leaves getrting into the run in the fall. So my question is, are acorns ok, and will the leaves in the fall be ok.

Also is there are chart for safe plants???That one might be shorter. We want to plant around the outside of the coop and now I am terrified at the long list of toxic plants!


Can you see it? That stick looking thing to the right..........

 

[MissPrissy]

Acorns won't hurt anything. You can eat them too. That tree will make a nice shade for them to lay under in the heat of summer. When the leaves are on the ground in the fall it will give them something to scratch around in and look for hiding insects and yummy worms.

 

[Chickaroo!]

I have a ton of oak trees in my yard. My coop is also next to an oak. My run is covered, so not that many leaves got into it, but what leaves did (and acorns) didn't seem to bother my chickens. In fact, they loved scratching around in the leaves looking for bugs.

 

[CathyB]

Thanks everyone! I think I saw on the toxic plant list Oak trees, buds and leaves, and went scared!

I am trying so hard to make everything they way it should be as a newbie. I am hoping my 10 babies will be happy and healthy!

 

[Tutter]

I'd like to add that while, yes, you can eat them, you would be able to do so only IF they were correctly leached. If you try to use acorns for human food, and don't thoroughly leach them, you will be very sick.

We have many oaks here, (Live, white, tan etc.) some right over the goats and hens. We've never had a problem with anyone eating them. The hens play with them, but I doubt they are eating them. If they do get them down sometimes it's not making them ill. I've had them in the same location for 20 years.

On the other hand, I wouldn't crack them and feed them to them. At least not without some hard facts proving that it would be okay for them.

Also, your tree doesn't look all that close; not nearly as close as several of mine. I would guess that most of them will not get to your birds to begin with.

It's good that you aren't taking anything for granted. Better safe than sorry! I'm sure they will grow into fine and healthy birds.

 

[speckledhen]

Every fall, I throw wheelbarrow loads of oak leaves into the pens on purpose. They love to scratch in them. Later when they've broken down, I take out the rich black dirt they've made along with the manure.

 

[Tutter]

And, Speckledhen, you are reducing the pests which would affect your trees!

My goats have always eaten the falling oak leaves at the end of the season. We call them, goat potato chips!

 

[CathyB]

Thanks Tutter and Speckledhen! I am much less worried now!