Smoke bush/tree (Cotinus coggygria) safe or toxic?

[porokelle]

Does anyone know if the smoke bush / tree (Cotinus coggygria) is safe or toxic for chickens?
Looking to put one in their area for shade during hot months but can't find any information on the forums or a browser search.
Thanks!

 

[cavemanrich]

I looked up the plant... Appears to be very many varieties ,, and very pretty BTW.
Here are my thoughts views, and opinion.
Generally, chickens will not eat things that are harmful to them... They just know what is good for them, and what is not.
I have been keeping chickens for well over 20 years now. My chickens free-range in my back yard when I am there. When I'm not home, they have their secure run area.
There are a number of mildly poisonous plants around. My chickens do go among, and between them,,, but do not eat them. They choose to scratch for insects, and eat desirable greens like dandelions, and other grass weeds.
The toxic plants I am aware of are..
Daylilies
Yew tree
Deadly nightshade. (grows on fence from neighbors yard.)
I also container grow many different flowers,, including tomato plants. Tomato plants are in the Nightshade family. so are potatoes. The leaves are the part to be of concern. My chickens leave the tomatoes, and other flowers alone.
They do raid my container grown sorrel. I have to locate those containers out of their reach ,,, Or I would have no sorrel for myself.

So this is my view/opinion, why some chickens do ingest toxic plants.
If chickens are confined in a barren run,,, and the only green plant is a toxic one growing thru the enclosed fence,,, they may decide,,, some green is better than no green.

I would not hesitate to plant your above mentioned plant inside your run, for shade.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Perris]

Great advice from cavemanrich. I can add to it as I have a smoke bush (well, it's a tree now) in a border that the chickens spend a lot of time in. It's perfectly safe for them.

But if you're still in the planning stage it might be useful to know that it's also not one of their favourites; they spend a lot more time in and around the parrotia persica (persian ironwood, deciduous, fantastic autumn colour and the horizontal version has many great low perching opportunities under the cover of the canopy) and the choisya ternata (mexican orange blossom, evergreen, fabulous scent), which they hang around under and snack on insects drawn to the flowers, both of which plants are in the same border as the cotinus here. All three plants are pretty bombproof, and won't be damaged by your chickens.

 

[porokelle]

Thanks @Perris and @cavemanrich ! hat's reassuring. I think I'll try moving the forsythia into their area. It's going to provide some shade to their run during our expected hot summer here in New Zealand. They've got canna lilies and hydrangea already in their area they ignore, so I'm sure they'll be all good with it.

 

[Folly's place]

Daylilies are not toxic, it's the Easter lily type of lilies that are toxic. Different plants entirely!
And the smoke bushes are lovely, but look for a smoke tree (Cotinus abovatus, Cotinus americanus) instead. Harder to find, but absolutely magnificent fall foliage, and lives longer than most smoke bushes. And how big a tree or shrub do you want? Viburnums are lovely, some have fragrant flowers, and are beautiful all year.
Mary

 

[porokelle]

Daylilies are not toxic, it's the Easter lily type of lilies that are toxic. Different plants entirely!
And the smoke bushes are lovely, but look for a smoke tree (Cotinus abovatus, Cotinus americanus) instead. Harder to find, but absolutely magnificent fall foliage, and lives longer than most smoke bushes. And how big a tree or shrub do you want? Viburnums are lovely, some have fragrant flowers, and are beautiful all year.
Mary

Thanks, Mary.
I want a few more things in their area to hide under during heat of summer. They get less sun than I'd like during winter, so we're going with deciduous. I have a big hops plant growing over the main corner of the enclosed run but their free range area needs more and a few others in front of the run. I'll try the smoke bush, I don't think I've seen smoke tree here. And might try a viburnum for another area, either the snowball or one the Japanese tiered looking ones. Thanks for the advice!