The Reasons NOT to feed chickens green tomatoe plants or Dried Beans

[WoodlandWoman]

Tomato plants are mostly toxic just at certain times in their life, too. They don't have the same level of toxicity all of the time, from the time they sprout until the time they die. I think the plants get more toxic when the fruit is ripe. At which point, those chickens would be going after the tomatoes, more than the foliage. I'd have to try to find that information again. Maybe someone else remembers the exact details. My chickens never bother the tomato foliage, but they have lots of other things to eat when they're out. Like all my chard!

Plus, it's one thing to nibble on some things and another to feed it as a huge semi-load in a feed lot for cattle, which is where some of the toxic warnings come from, especially for things like broccoli, as a feed.

 

[NYREDS]

My chickens never bother the tomato foliage, but they have lots of other things to eat when they're out. Like all my chard!

Mine have never eaten my chard-the deer always beat them to it.​

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Quote:
Mine have never eaten my chard-the deer always beat them to it.

and

My dogs always tell the deer to move along and just hop right back over that perimeter fence!

 

[silkiechicken]

Ruhbarb leaves are toxic, and I had a pair of turkeys eat every darn leaf from my beautiful 3 foot round rhubarb plant... had to harvest it a week before i wanted to because of those two rascals. Granted they also ate thistle leaves full of spines.

Nothing happened to them and they grew up to be about 45lbs live weight before I ate them.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Mine have never eaten my chard-the deer always beat them to it.

and

My dogs always tell the deer to move along and just hop right back over that perimeter fence!

My dogs are Pugs-the deer laugh at them.

 

[Scooter2112]

I agree, The things I wish my chickens would eat, they dont. (weeds) And the things they do eat I wish they wouldnt. (like my styrofoam minnow bucket and a styrofoam cooler) And that didnt hurt them either. Hell I had one chicken eating the grout from between the blocks on my garage. That didnt bother it either. As a matter of fact they pretty much figure out whats good and bad on their own. THe only thing I do not feed them is meat, ok I did throw them roasted chicken carcass in the winter and they cleaned that thing like it was for an exhibit in a museum.
But in general no meat and thats because I dont want their poo to smell. Chickens arent stupid by no means. SO the list I would say is this: try anything, if they like it, its ok. If they dont, then dont toss it out again or you will find yourself picking it back up. And my chickens are all 1 1/2 years old and healthy egg bearers. They free range the back yard. (and got into the garage, thats when they destroyed my bucket and cooler) Oh and I even found where they picked apart a dead mouse. They may have even killed it for all I know. Chickens are easy and fun!

 

[tags]

Good info, Thank you!

 

[Beekissed]

I agree with the posts about the proof is in the living....I've watched my sheep mow down 150 tomato plants~supposedly toxic to sheep~without so much as a burp afterwards. My dog is famous for stealing rhubarb plants (whole with the root and all), tomatoes both green and red, potatoes, grapes...you know all those things supposedly toxic to dogs? He can eat them with a grin on his face and tail awaggin'...so could my chickens. Green tomatoes? Food for any innovative chicken that gets through my garden defenses. Apple seeds? Supposedly just loaded with arsenic and fatal if eaten while apples are green. Tell that to my not-so-dead dog, chickens, sheep, etc.

Old wives tales and urban legends, mostly. Animals pretty much know what they can and cannot tolerate and the ones that do not are just victims of natural selection...and all is right with the world.

 

[redhen]

My pigs just cleared out my tomato plants.... they're still alive.

 

[Imagesoart]

What about cucumber vines?