Avoid feeding or free-ranging chickens specific unshelled nuts of walnuts (Juglans spp. This family includes anemone, clematis, delphinium, and ranunculus. Apricots. Nope. Before you release your chickens into the abundance of your backyard or decide to plant a garden surrounded by chicken wire specifically for your flock, there are a few potentially toxic plants you should know about. Chickens can eat the stalks of the rhubarb plant, just as we can. Essentially it is wise to keep this plant away from all animals. Onions are a poor food to give to chickens because onions flavor eggs. Uncooked raw or dried beans contain hemaglutin, which is poisonous to chickens. While predators are obviously a threat, many people overlook Most of the things naturally growing in your yard will be fine for your chickens to peck and eat- keep them away from tomato plants & potato plants (nightshades), ornamental plants, and seedpods (especially wisteria). This is by no means a comprehensive list these are just a ⦠Azaleas.. Amaryillis.. Bloodroot.. Bull Nettle.. Bracken.. Bryony.. Buttercup.. Carelessweed.. Castor Bean. Pokeweed In Gardens – Tips On Growing Pokeberry Plants In The Garden, Snakeroot Plant Care: Information About White Snakeroot Plants, Garden Plants And Chickens: How To Protect Plants From Chickens, Garden Gifts For Quarantine: Self-Care Social Distance Garden Gifts, Seed Gift Ideas: Giving Seeds To Gardeners, Plant Donation Info: Giving Away Plants To Others, What Is Pumice Used For: Tips On Using Pumice In Soil, Sonata Cherry Info – How To Grow Sonata Cherries In The Garden, Early Prolific Plum Info: How To Grow Rivers Early Plum Trees, Naranjilla Propagation: Tips For Growing New Naranjilla Trees, Recipes From The Garden: Pressure Cooking Root Vegetables, Gratitude For The Garden – Being Grateful For Each Growing Season, 7 Reasons To Do Your Garden Shopping Locally, Thankful Beyond Words – What Represents Gratefulness In My Garden. Rob Ludlow is the owner of BackYardChickens.com, a top source on chicken raising, and the coauthor of Raising Chickens For Dummies. Azalea; Beans; Boxwoods; Castor beans; Corn cockle; Flowering bulbs; Foxgloves; Hydrangea; Nightshade plants; Milkweed Plants That Are Toxic To Chickens â Listed below are common plants that are known to be toxic to chickens (and most other birds). Furthermore, we are able to come up with a list on some of the plants that we believe is not healthy or safe for chickens to nibble on when they are out grazing, They are listed below; Beans. The following are some of the more common ornamental plants potentially toxic, yet unlikely that chickens would freely eat these. Milkweed: Asclepias tuberosa. By nature, chickens are Raw green potato skins contain solanine, which is poisonous to chickens. Buttercup family: Ranunculaceae. Death Cap, Destroying Angel, Panther Cap. Today we find out if Hens & Chicks are poisonous. This family includes anemone, clematis, delphinium, and ranunculus. Daffodil: Narcissus spp. Poisonous waterborne plants. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Plants that are part of the nightshade family - Members of the nightshade family include potatoes, ⦠Don’t give chickens any edible containing salt, sugar, coffee, or liquor. No need to be concerned about the fruit, nuts, and leaves of these trees ⦠Ever wonder what determines the color of a chicken egg? chickens, owners can help avoid their consumption by providing well managed While sheep, goats, and other livestock animals will eat toxic plants, chickens rarely do. Honeysuckle⦠your property, as many native flowers and foliage plants could cause harm. Cherry laurel: Prunus laurocerasus. Poisonous ornamental plants. make beautiful edible garnishes for cakes, cupcakes and ice cream, and also help with circulation and stop inflammation⦠Most lily plants also have varying levels of toxicity toward rabbits. are among the first additions when it comes to raising animals. Boxwood: Buxus spp. Daphne: Daphne spp. The Texarkana Gazette is the premier source for local news and sports in Texarkana and the surrounding Arklatex areas. Always err on the side of caution; if you suspect a plant is poisonous to your chickens, rid it from your garden. Which plants are poisonous for chickens? Itâs better to be safe than sorry, and to limit their access to poisonous plants in ways that make sense. Gardening with Free-Range Chickens For Dummies Cheat Sheet, How to Transform a Dog Kennel into a Chicken Coop, 10 Beneficial Tools for Raising Free-Range Chickens. places. You’ll find a variety of plants that have toxic or poisonous qualities for chickens. Clearly, the best defense against plant poisoning is to be proactive. These are the types of plants you absolutely should never expose your chickens to: European black nightshade: Solanum nigrum. And other varieties. That can have fatal consequences, particularly with the newer generation of poisons. Don’t give your chickens leaves of rhubarb, potato, or tomato plants. Sign up for our newsletter. Elderberry. The following list contains suggestions for edibles to avoid with hand-feeding and free-ranging chickens: Avocado skin and pits contain persin, which is toxic to chickens. Toxins in certain plants can cause serious harm to birds other more common issues that may already be present. With all those disclaimers, below is a list of common plants that can be poisonous for chickens. Boxwoods. Raw green potato skins contain solanine, which is poisonous to chickens. If you think that your animal is ill or may have ingested a poisonous substance, contact your local veterinarian or our 24-hour emergency poison hotline directly at 1-888-426-4435. Follow Bonnie at VintageGardenGal.com. So definitely donât give them consistent access to harmful plants. Providing an ample supply of high quality food for the chickens Many fruits are safe for chickens, but the leaves and pits of an apricot contain cyanogenic ⦠Common Plants That are Poisonous to Chickens. in the winters, I typically fence off my entire garden and allow my chickens to eat down all the left over plants, turning it all into mulch while fertilizing the garden at the same time. These plants are not only extremely poisonous to poultry, but also to many other types of livestock and humans. grazing animals. The leaves contain oxalic acid, a substance poisonous to birds that can cause kidney failure. Unlike other livestock animals, chickens have a keen sense of knowing what plants are poisonous and what plants are good for them. When you’re free-ranging chickens, acquaint yourself with the more common ornamentals and edibles that are mildly toxic to poisonous to chickens. The roots of a kaffir lily are ⦠My hens as juveniles late last spring. Lambâs Quarters. Plants listed as either non-toxic, or potentially toxic with mild GI upset as their symptoms are not expected to be life-threatening to your pets. While there is no exhaustive list of what plants are bad for Notice the broad leaf plant near the bottom? Large quantities of onions can be harmful to chickens, affecting their red blood cells, causing hemolytic anemia or Heinz anemia. If you have a pond, pool, or any stagnant water (even old buckets hanging round the garden with old rainwater in them) you need to prevent your chickens having access to them. Hens and Chickens | ASPCA will help reduce the likelihood that they will nibble on plants they shouldn’t. Thanks! Sempervivum is not toxic to ⦠As they roam, it will be likely that they take a nibble (or ARUM LILY. Plants that are poisonous for chickens occur in a variety of This is not an inclusive list, and be aware that these plants can be found in other areas besides pastures, such as meadows, wilderness areas, and sometimes in gardens as volunteers. Many plants have toxic properties that act as a type of innate defense to help the plants to survive. Buttercup family: Ranunculaceae. Even though many ornamental plants are mildly toxic or poisonous to chickens, they’re highly unlikely to eat these plants while free-ranging. When in doubt, the removal of the plant is the best option. They are very poisonous. Examine pastures, hayfields, roadsides and fencerows for poisonous plants.â Large quantities of onions can be harmful to chickens, affecting their red blood cells, causing hemolytic anemia or Heinz anemia. even death. Just like every part of a moonflower bush is poisonous to humans, every part is also toxic to animals. Not only do ), black walnuts (Juglans nigrs), hazelnuts (Corylus), and pecans (Carya illinoinensis). âThe key to avoiding problems with poisonous plants is proper identification and avoidance of these plants,â writes Axton and Durgan. garden. Mushrooms: Amanita spp. Azalea. When chickens eat something poisonous, it’s usually because someone unintentionally fed them something poisonous or underfed them while they were confined and exposed to something poisonous. Read more articles about Beneficial Garden Friends. Chickens donât normally bother poisonous plants unless they have nothing else to choose from, but also try not to plant stuff that is DEADLY like foxglove or oleander. Shade Trees for Chickens. Usually chickens (and other animals) know enough to stay away from anything that could be toxic, so while I wouldn't go ripping out your entire oleander hedge for example, I wouldn't go out of my way to plant anything near your coop or where your chickens wander that ⦠Most of the things naturally growing in your yard will be fine for your chickens to peck and eat- keep them away from tomato plants & potato plants (nightshades), ornamental plants, and seedpods (especially wisteria). Ensure your chickens do not have ready access to such plants, especially if you are free ranging your chickensâ¦. Extremely deadly and poisonous if ingested. For my post about poisonous plants and toxicity, click here. meeting their needs will require research and effort from first-time owners. places in which the birds are allowed to roam. Read more about Beneficial Garden Friends. Part of Gardening with Free-Range Chickens For Dummies Cheat Sheet . especially when they’re free to roam your property. within the flock. Some of the other toxic plants on the list are: holly, lobelia angelsâ trumpet, jimsonweed, pokeberry, sweet pea, honeysuckle, bleeding hearts, myrtle and elderberry. âBecome familiar with the plants that can cause problems. Some of these plants are grown in the garden as ornamental plants. Providing an ample supply of high quality food for the chickens will help reduce the likelihood that they will nibble on plants they shouldnât. If other animals - or your chickens - eat a rat which has eaten the poison, they will ingest it themselves. Moonflowers are poisonous to everything from horses to chickens, pigs, cows, and sheep as well as to cats and dogs. Azalea: Rhododendron spp. List Of Toxic Garden Plants For Chickens. Uncooked raw or dried beans contain hemaglutin, which is poisonous to chickens. And this includes knowing what plants are bad for chickens, Sunflowers. Lilies. Make absolutely sure you keep rat poison in a safe place - don't leave it lying around a garage or shed where children or other animals can find it. chickens require considerably less space than some other livestock, but the It depends on the breed of the hen. healthy living environments for your chickens – ensuring that the flock is There are even such people who grow poisonous plants indoors. Bonnie Jo Manion has been featured in national garden magazines with her gardens, organic practices, chickens, and designs. By Bonnie Jo Manion, Robert T. Ludlow . Whether raising these birds for meat or their eggs, In nature, many plants can be dangerous for humans and various animals. more) of various plants that are growing. When in doubt, the removal of the plant is the best option. These symptoms include lowered blood pressure, seizures, and It is most definitely not for chicken consumption! AMARYLLIS. Like I mentioned earlier, it appears that my chickens love to eat rhubarb. Yew â All parts of yew plants to avoid around chickens. If you have any plants to add or if your chickens regularly eat any of these âpoisonousâ plants, or even if you are worried about a certain plant, not on this list, please leave a comment below and hopefully we will build a clearer picture over time. They canât eat the leaves though. benefits are numerous. Most cases have resulted from flocks gaining access to yard/hedge clippings. Not only will the seeds of this plant provide you with a delicious treat, but your chickens ⦠Plants chickens can’t eat may also be found growing wild throughout Foxglove: Digitalis spp. ARALIA. One important aspect of this relates directly to maintaining dangerous, some garden plants toxic to chickens may exist in your own vegetable Tulips â Containing chemicals called glycosides, Tulips are indeed poisonous to chickens. While it may be obvious that some ornamental plantings would be They contain chemicals that can result in cardiac arrest and death within 30 minutes of ingestion. always safe. An incomplete list of plants that are poisonous to chickens includes daffodils, foxglove, morning glory, yew, jimson weed, tulips, lily of the valley, azaleas, rhododendron, mountain laurel, monkshood, amaryllis, castor bean, trumpet vine, nightshade, nicotiana, and tansy. For many urban dwellers and small homesteaders, chickens Much like chocolate for dogs, chickens generally need to consume large quantities of poisonous plants to be affected. Chickens will die quickly if they drink water contaminated with blue-green algae. Cocklebur.. Curly Dock.. Curcubrit plants. Toxicity is a natural defense for a plant, and some common garden plants are potentially poisonous to chickens. The Chicken Whispererâs Guide to Keeping Chickens lists beneficial plants that act as natural insecticides around chicken coops, as well as poisonous plants to avoid around hens.