Wildflowers? harmful to chickens?

[hollytruitt]

Hi I am not sure where to put this question. We are wanting to plant wildflowers in different parts of our property. Are there any that we need to avoid planting? I was going to get wildflower mix packets.

 

[fldiver97]

Hi!
Generally chickens are good at not eating plants that are toxic to them.
I have lived in Florida, Wisconsin and now Tennessee and have/had a big yard in each place that I converted to ‘wildflower’ garden (specifically native to each area). In Wisconsin and here I also have vegetables and fruit that the flock has access to. Never had an issue ( other than the chickens obliterating some of the berries and veggies when they were not properly protected from the feathered fiends). I personally don’t like the generic wildflower seed mixes because they sometimes contain plants I don’t want to establish but many now offer mixes that contain seeds of plants for specific areas of the country that are ok.
Back to toxic plants for chickens:
Here’s a link
https://www.omlet.us/guide/chickens/chicken_care/poisonous_plants_and_food/
I do have a few plants that are on the list and never had a problem, I also always grow tomatoes (nightshade plants) but the chickens eat the tomatoes, not the greens of the plant if they can get to them

Hope this helps

 

[WishingStar]

I personally don’t like the generic wildflower seed mixes because they sometimes contain plants I don’t want to establish but many now offer mixes that contain seeds of plants for specific areas of the country that are ok.

The generic box store "wildflower mixes" can even contain plants that are not native whatsoever. Find as local a source as possible for wildflowers and native plants.

I also always grow tomatoes (nightshade plants) but the chickens eat the tomatoes, not the greens of the plant if they can get to them

My chickens adore the black nightshade, a native plant that's a tomato relative with small black berries. The chicks enjoy sheltering underneath when it gets hot.