Will chickens eat hedge apples?

[diggergal]

Would it hurt to feed a chicken the hedge apples or hedge balls? Do they even like them? We have them in our woods and some are half eaten by the deer so I thought maybe it would be ok to give to a chicken??

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I wouldn't do it. They are supposed to be bug repellents. Folks put them in their houses to keep away bugs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=403906&p=1

 

[RIBill]

It shouldn't be a problem. It's not toxic, although the sap can be a skin irritant. I found a reference that said they weren't a preferred source of food for birds and other wildlife.

 

[emarble]

I doubt that the chickens will eat them! Squirrles will eat the heart out but nothing else I know will eat them not even Goats or deer and a Goat will eat almost anything and basicly a deer is a wild goat (So to speak) (Kinda Well Not exactly)

Ernie

 

[Kansaseq]

Mine ate one the other day-BLEH!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Quote:

A goat & a deer are the exact same thing only totally different.

 

[diggergal]

I see hedge apples half eaten in the woods-I was told it was from deer. I suppose it could be squirrels.
Thanks for your imput. I don't think I will bother to gather and give to chickens.

 

[motherofmolly]

thanks for the info. i was wondering this as my neighbors horses eat them as do the squirrels. i was hoping the chickens would eat them to get rid of them.

 

[turkeys4u]

Yes your chickens will peck at hedge apples and it doesn't hurt them. Mine do. I put them in the chicken house to help keep bugs out and WELL the chickens like them also--And yes deer and goats do eat them also, Our cows have been eating them but they can choke on them if they don't crush them enough., Lost 2 last year from that so we pick them up and we have wildlife camera and it shows deer eating the hedge apples we have thrown on the other side of the fence from the cows. Let your chickens have fun with them.

 

[turkeys4u]

Goats and Deer have similar digestive tracts. They both have a single stomach that has four compartments just like a cow. And they al eat food and belch it up so to speak and chew it up again--It is called chewing their cuds and it is part of the normal digestive process that they all share. And yes they all will eat hedge apples if given the chance.