Will foxtails harm my chickens?

[Captain Awesome]

I've done a number of searches on here and elsewhere online but can't find a definitive answer. My Utah backyard doesn't have grass (hopefully sprinklers will be in at the end of the summer) and has a lot of foxtails. I keep them mowed down but they are still there under the mowing level. They are absolute death for our dog so we don't let him play in the backyard. My chickens though are getting pretty cranky at being cooped up in their run. Can I let them forage in the backyard without worrying about foxtails burrowing into them?

 

[CMV]

Interesting question. The answer to which I do not have. I would call some local vets and ask. I would call several vets near and around your locale. I would look specifically at large animal vets (since avian vets are so hard to find). They make a lot of farm calls and are bound to hear about problems with the other animals on the farm...like the chicken that got into the foxtails. Someone must be able to say definitively if they pose a threat or not.

I hope this helps. Let us know what you find.

Good luck.

 

[Chickabiby1]

Chickens love Foxtail, as they break it down to get the seeds inside...yum