They're eating Helix Aspersa! (Are my EE's French...?)

[Hotspurious]

To quote the late, great Jim Runyon, announcer for the "Chickenman" radio series, "They're everywhere! They're everywhere!"





Yesterday whilst my ladies were scratching about the soon-2-be-planted garden, I observed a few of them actively
hunting and eating something from the underside of the leaves of our ice plant and horseradish. Upon further
investigation, I found that they where searching out and eating newly hatched snails. (Most are approx. 4 to 5 mil
in length.)

The warming weather heralds both the onset of Spring-like conditions AND causes plumes of certain garden critters
- like helix aspersa; the common brown garden snail. (Yes, the very same that our French friends use for their
escargot).

Now, quite literally, they're everywhere. I could collect a couple hundred today if I so chose.

Back to the hunt... Only certain chickens were participating. In fact, my typically ravenous Gold Stars happily
scratched and pecked about seemingly oblivious to the two EEs' onslaught on the snails. They literally showed no
interest whereas the EEs showed supreme interest.

The bantams, oddly enough, followed the EEs about and harassed them over the snails - but then wouldn't eat the
snails once taken. They also wouldn't go after the snails themselves. (Their behavior was rather chihuahua-like...)

Questions:

1. Can I assume eating the little buggers is completely acceptable and won't cause issues for my girls?
2. Will my EEs stop eating the snails once filled to capacity? (They didn't look like they were going to stop, so I put them back into the run...)
3. All of this got me thinking... What's in a typical garden, or about a typical lawn, which I should be wary of that the ladies may decide to eat?

Thx in advance for insights and comments...

Hotspurious
Walnut Creek, CA

 

[Kikiriki]

Do you have a local ag branch? Or look up your state ag dept: they can tell you what creatures might be toxic in your area.

Here in central FL, we have the toads and skinks that both produce toxins. I heard a really loud squeak repeating over and over one day... Went to investigate and found the girls fighting over one of those brown toads! It was making that sound as the girls played tug of war with it. Caught them and got the toad away, then threw it outside their area: somehow I think it will not be coming back...