Toxic, Tolerable, or Treat?

[Lil Chickie Mama]

I was looking at the treat chart and 2 of my concerns are it says nothing salty and also no citrus.

Salty: I love the sunflower seeds you can get for snacking, but I just like to suck on them then spit them out and not break them open or eat them (weird I know, and kinda gross) after that there isn't much salt left is it okay then for the chickens to have the seeds? I wouldn't feed them salt stuff, but this was my only concern here.

Citrus: I was planning on planting some trees soon and my kiddos free range, will dropped (or stolen, naughty chickens!) fruit hurt them? There wasn't an explanation of why it's bad, just a "." so I'm unsure.

Thanks for any help! I looked it up (the citrus one) but either it's too early and I just didn't get it or it seems to have mixed reviews.

 

[fordmommy]

I wouldn't worry too much. I know chickens aren't that smart, but I think that they have a nature aversion to the things that would kill them. But I have read that some chickens have eaten glass and syrofoam.

Hope this helps you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

The first thing I said was that "I was looking at the treat chart" thanks though. That's where I got the info that said not to feed citrus and salty stuff.

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:
sometimes we read faster than we input! I am sure she didn't realize you ALREADY posted that. I think her post was intened to help you not slight you.

And chickens will tend to stay away from things they don't like. Don't worry to much, it says clover is toxic yet people feed it to their chickens and they live

The seeds should be OK, if you sucked the salt off. And the tree's you should be OK. they probally won't touch them. Mine stay away from my citrus trees but my goats on the other hand

 

[Melty]

Im more concerned for your health with all that salt sucking

Im sure if its moderation it wont harm the chicks but I wouldnt give it to them daily.

And my (very limited) experience the hens dont even touch citrus.

Interesting about the clover sillystunt, I know for rabbits it can cause gas overload so I wonder if its a same reason?

 

[michickenwrangler]

Too much salt is bad for their kidneys, same as people or any creature for that matter. My chickens eat clover all the time. I didn't know it was toxic, oops!

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
If your chickens eat clover all the time & they don't die it's not toxic is it? There are many inaccuracies on that list & that's one of them.
Citrus is another. Most of the people I know that ship birds put a couple orange halves in the box for moisture & nourishment.
As to salt, too much isn't good, some isn't a problem. We occasionally clean out he pantry & all the stale crackers &/or chips go to the chickens. Wouldn't feed these every day but once in awhile is fine. I don't think "pre rinsed" sunflower seeds will be a problem.
Internet lists not withstanding a good general rule is if you can eat it your chickens can eat it. That list also warns against letting chickens eat avocado pits. The chicken that could swallow an avocado pit would scare me!

 

[honeydoll]

Sillystunt: I see you live in Winter Haven. My hubby and I used to live in Lake Wales. Has things changed there much. We left in 1996.

To the OP: That list seems like overkill if you ask me. I looked at it when I first got my chickens and I was like; Well mine are gonners. I am not sure about citrus but that list is not something I refer to anymore.

 

[GwenDellAnno]

I had a chicken who ate a nightshade (I thought it was fairly poisonous) berry before I could snatch it away from her and there were no adverse effects. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think if a little made them sick, they'd stop

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Quote:

Monster Chicken!

Thank you for all the replies, I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound snarky by saying, "I already said that" but some things get lost in internet-transmission. "Pre-rinsed" I like that phrasing. I don't eat them often, but I have a hand full now and again. I didn't think it would hurt them but I'd rather ask and seem dumb than find out