What is this and can my chickens eat it?

[countrycakelady]

I have found this growing abundantly in the woods near our home....was wondering if our chickens could eat it? What is it? Some of the berries are green, others are ripening....thanks for any help.

 

[farmer boy]

they look sorta like chock cherries break one open and if it has clear inside and a seed it could be chock cherries

 

[countrycakelady]

Yes....that is what it looks like.....so they can eat it then?

 

[farmer boy]

I don't know if it will hurt them .. we can eat them so maybe they could im not sure you could try it I don't think it would kill them or anything but

 

[Kelsie2290]

Ya, looks like Chokecherry to me also. The usda site has a guide on it.
http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_prvi.pdf
They suggest it as something to plant for wildlife around here.
Don't know that I would purposely feed a bunch of it to chickens, but just picking some up here and there probably would not hurt them.

 

[love geese 101]

I wouldn't risk it if I were you but it's up to you . It's not worth losing them

 

[countrycakelady]

I was not planning on giving them bucketfuls....just a handful here and then.....something new to try as a treat......any other ideas anyone? Thank you all for your help. It's appreciated!

 

[RedDrgn]

If it's chokecherry as it appears to be, the fruit is edible for us (makes a tasty preserve!) and wild birds love them, so I don't see why it'd hurt chickens if given as a snack or if they found a bush and helped themselves a bit.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Well just from reading a bit from the link posted above it seems like it would be best to dry them, cuts down on some kind of acid and improves the taste. Says in big read type that parts of the plant are poisonous lol so beware