Black Walnut tree/leaves - Okay to eat?

[jeremy]

Does anyone know anything about Walnut trees and whether or not they are toxic to chickens? I'm pretty sure we have a large Black Walnut tree in our yard adjacent to the chicken run. I'd like to let the birds into that part of the yard but I'm worried eating the leaves may make the birds sick. Does anyone have any experience with these trees? Or... is this even a Walnut?



A close up of the leaves.



Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/E2892Ash.pdf (Mich State U)
I don't know the answer, but this should help.

 

[K-12 Chickens]

I'm not sure if that is a walnut, but I have a giant black walnut tree in the front yard, leaves and nuts scattered everywhere, and the chickens never touch them. I do crack open the nuts and feed the meat to my chickens and they love it!

 

[akovia]

Jeremy, this looks exactly like the leaves on my potted start of an English walnut. If you are lucky (at least nut quality-wise) that's what you have

. Black walnuts produce a mild toxin IN THE ROOT AREA which discourages other plants from growing well. It's how the trees protect their "turf". English walnuts do not produce this stuff. Nuts are much better tasting, too

 

[SweetSilver]

Here's a better ID link:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/walnute5.htm

It shows an English walnut next to a black walnut. I'm not sure of a positive ID on yours. Another sight states the leaflets are 13-23 per leaf, and the terminal leaflet is often missing, like in the picture in the link.

Question: is yours a volunteer, or something that was planted?

It's not an ash. If it was a volunteer you could have a hybrid walnut. It could also be a different member of the hickory family. I don't know much about that one, as they don't grow in our area.

 

[SweetSilver]

Ooops. DH says it could be an ash. Crush the leaves. Walnuts have a distinct scent. Hard to describe.

 

[SweetSilver]

No one else replying. I guess I wouldn't worry about the birds. I have a friend whose chickens eat their rhubarb down to the nubbins, no trouble. I know she isn't the only one whose birds eat everything that is "supposed to" kill them! So, walnut leaves I guess I wouldn't worry about.

 

[donrae]

My birds have ranged under two black walnut trees for years. They don't eat any of it but love to scratch for bugs under the fallen leaves.