Privet Hedges

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

I have read that these can be toxic to chickens, I was going to plant some, does anyone have any experience with these hedges?

Thanks!

 

[herechickchick]

I do not but my friend had privet all around her yard and they had chickens for years. She now lives on her own so there are no chickens at her parents house any longer.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Anyone else know anything? I would really like to know this.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Ok, I need to know this today. If i am going to order some Privet hedges today will be the last day to do so.

Does anyone else know anything?

 

[digitS']

Quote:
No pressure . . . I don't know anything from experience with privet/chicken altho' we had a privet hedge back on the farm. The chickens had a lot of territory to cover and not just that hedge.

Here are links to the Merck Vet Manual and the UCDavis toxic plant pages.

Merck says "sometimes death" which removes it from "certain," at least. UCDavis says, "Minor Toxicity" and "Dermatitis" which is also somewhat encouraging. It didn't cause dermatitis on me from trimming . . .

Look for Ligustrum = "privet."

Steve

 

[ILoveJoe]

Quote:
My husband has a saying:
'procrastination on your part, doesn't make for haste on mine'

Try calling your extension office for your county.
Try googling privet hedges.

 

[patandchickens]

I think it is basically like with any toxic plant. It's only toxic if they EAT it

If they have lots and lots of area and other things to do and to eat, they're less likely to eat it than if they're stuck in a small area and bored or if privet is one of the few green things around. However this is only a statistical sort of safety -- you will always get the occasional "gourmet" in any species of animal, that decides despite an abundance of much better things to eat and play with that they HAVE to gnaw to the ground the one poisonous plant in the whole darn field. To their ultimate, and sometimes final, sorrow.

So it just kind of depends on what your setup is, and what your personal feelings are about risk-tolerance and tradeoffs. Unfortunately I don't think anyone's ever going to be able to say anything more useful than that. (Remember that even if so-and-so's chickens have lived with nothin' but privet around for years, that does not mean you can't end up with a coupla dumb or "gourmet inclined" ones...)

Part of it depends on how much you need the hedge and what other reasonable alternative species there are, for your zone and requirements.

Good luck,

Pat