This Might Not Be The Right Place To Post This...

[Patchesnposies]

Please let me know! I do need some help. My question is about free ranging chickens. We have 18 buff orpingtons and 6 americauna pullets. They have gotten some size to them and I am having a hard time keeping them in the smallish round pen that they used to stay happily in all day long.

We used an old trampoline frame and put chicken wire around it and spread a tarp over the top. The little ladies have decided that the grass is better on the other side of the pen and are flying out.

We have several acres and they tend to stay close to our house where their coop is so I am not opposed to their free ranging. I am wondering if chickens have any sense about what shrubs are not good to eat.

I think one of our shrubs is a mock orange and while I love the smell of the blossoms in the spring, I am afraid it is poisonous. I am planning to have DH take it out.

We are building a large yard off of the coop but not until next weekend and am scared one of these little girls will eat this plant. Do chickens have any ability to discern what they should and should not eat?

I know, I know....stupid newbie question!

 

[MRNpoultry]

We used an old trampoline frame and put chicken wire around it and spread a tarp over the top.

Thats a good idea, I might try that for my chicks.

We have several acres and they tend to stay close to our house where their coop is so I am not opposed to their free ranging.

We have two acres and my chickens don't ever go in the road.

I am wondering if chickens have any sense about what shrubs are not good to eat.

I think most animals know what to eat and what not to eat. I ain't sure if chickens would eat poisonous plants or not. It probaly whouldn't hurt to cut down the plant though.

Welcome to byc!

 

[chickflick]

Krisrose has a mock orange and the chickens are still alive after over a year of having chickens.

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

No need to cut down your mock orange, or any other plants for that matter. Like most creatures (with the exception of humans), free-ranged chickens will not eat plants that are poisonous, or if so, at least not in toxic amounts.

However under adverse circumstance, such as major boredom while being locked inside or being in a bare pen with toxic plants being the only available food source, they will eat most anything.

 

[ozark hen]

I have a mock orange and have had no ill effects as my chickens free range for over a year now.

 

[speckledhen]

I have a mock orange (scentless, to my disappointment) right next to the pen that was here when I bought the place. They eat the leaves all the time with no ill effects.