Uh...my girls just killed a toad :(

[BreanneRN]

I wouldn't worry about it at all unless you live in an area that has poisonous frogs/toads. I've raised chickens for 30+ years and have gagged more than once at what I've caught them eating! Have never lost a chicken or had one get sick from their disgusting menu choices. I hope you never have to see what your flock will do to a hen that IS sick or injured.....now THAT is disgusting. (And really sad) Good luck!

My understanding is that ALL toads are poisonous, they all exude toxic substances through their skin and it makes dogs foam at the mouth. Most dogs will only bother toads once. Frogs, on the other hand, at least in North America, are non-poisonous and edible. Still, that doesn't mean that chickens are necessarily going to be bothered by toad poison. Perhaps there isn't enough to bother them in the size of toad they eat. This is interesting, as right now there is a regular outbreak of baby toads in my yard, most of them now advanced to the size of a quarter (last week they were nickel-sized). The cats try to play with them, but I haven't seen anything eat them. They come out at night and eat various bugs and beetles (the toads).

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I had a cat that caught a mouse in the chicken coop once. The chickens chased her down and took it away from her!

Mine too. Cat's like "wuh happened?".

One cat brought a lizard into the house the other day and both cats played with it until it was belly up. Not long after a chicken wandered in (I leave the door open for the cats), found the lizard, started pounding it on the floor and then ran out with it. Usually they come across a crumb or poach the cat food, but this time she found gold.

 

[bobbi-j]

how do u know they ever ate one?

I don't. I do know that we have toads and we have chickens that free range. I would imagine after 35+ years of raising chickens, at least one would have eaten a toad. Other than a couple of chickens with ascites, I have never had sick chickens. So, I am assuming (I know, I know, one should never assume...) that I have never had a chicken get sick from eating a toad.

 

[Chickassan]

how do u know they ever ate one?

Because I watched. I had to see how it was going to end, kind of one of those things I had to know.

Well, it kind of makes you glad they aren't dinosaur sized, doesn't it?

Yes, they're actually a tad large for my comfort right now since I do have a gang of them.

 

[BreanneRN]

Because I watched. I had to see how it was going to end, kind of one of those things I had to know.

Yes, they're actually a tad large for my comfort right now since I do have a gang of them.

Yeah, I'm downsizing my turkeys with Midget Whites... Sometimes when I see them choking down some mouse, I think about dinosaurs doing that... with a people sized mouse.... Glad we weren't around then to have to cope with that, but know our early mammal ancestors must have had too. In some ways, at least, things are better now!

 

[BreanneRN]

I don't. I do know that we have toads and we have chickens that free range. I would imagine after 35+ years of raising chickens, at least one would have eaten a toad. Other than a couple of chickens with ascites, I have never had sick chickens. So, I am assuming (I know, I know, one should never assume...) that I have never had a chicken get sick from eating a toad.

Well, ascites is a symptom of liver problems and the liver is the organ that detoxifies the poisons we eat and breath... But, you never know... I haven't ever had a chicken with ascites, but have had some crop impaction on occasion.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, ascites is a symptom of liver problems and the liver is the organ that detoxifies the poisons we eat and breath... But, you never know... I haven't ever had a chicken with ascites, but have had some crop impaction on occasion.

Very true. It can also be caused by a host of other problems, so who knows? Those two birds were 3 or 4 years old, and the only two that have ever had it.

 

[BreanneRN]

Very true. It can also be caused by a host of other problems, so who knows? Those two birds were 3 or 4 years old, and the only two that have ever had it.

Well, moderation in all things is best. My guess is that a constant diet of toads would definitely eventually cause some problems, but probably an occasional toad would not matter. Our dog developed liver problems from eating poisonous lantana berries and stealing too much cat food, or so the vet said. But she was quite old, so who knows? Fact is you can't spend your whole day watching what they eat. But you can make sure they have plenty of toxin free options to choose. That's the route I'm going with.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, moderation in all things is best. My guess is that a constant diet of toads would definitely eventually cause some problems, but probably an occasional toad would not matter. Our dog developed liver problems from eating poisonous lantana berries and stealing too much cat food, or so the vet said. But she was quite old, so who knows? Fact is you can't spend your whole day watching what they eat. But you can make sure they have plenty of toxin free options to choose. That's the route I'm going with.

I can't argue with that. Happily, they have many acres to free range and find all kinds of other goodies like grasses and bugs to eat, along with whatever else they may catch. I've only ever seen them catch and eat mice - but an occasional frog, toad or small snake wouldn't surprise me. They're happy and healthy. That's what counts.

 

[Rocky-Acres]

You’d be surprised at what your chickens eat that you don’t know about. Especially if they free range. In my experience, I have never had a chicken get sick from eating a toad.

Mine eat toads all the time, they're just fine. They also eat lizards and small snakes.