do chickens eat goathead weeds?

[mdguffey]

i saw an ad for white leghorns, the claimed that they ate goat head weeds, which is a real problem where i live. i have a mixed flock of 19 birds and they avoid the goat heads like crazy. i am thinking this guy is running a scam. anybody with any info???

 

[marlo1968]

i saw an ad for white leghorns, the claimed that they ate goat head weeds, which is a real problem where i live. i have a mixed flock of 19 birds and they avoid the goat heads like crazy. i am thinking this guy is running a scam. anybody with any info???

Never heard either way, will be watching to find out, good question...

 

[Nugget602]

Ditto. I just moved into a new house infested with the little buggers. I've been de-weeding for weeks, but I don't know what to do about all the thorny seeds. I haven't let the chickens out in the main yard yet, but I'm curious as well of they'll eat them or will they hurt them somehow.

 

[Tikididit]

I have goatheads and chickens, a mixed flock. The area around the chicken pen is eaten clean of ALL living things everywhere my chicken can reach, including ALL goathead plants. They don't eat the seed part, the goatheady sticker part, but if you get them to the weedy area before the flowers turn to seed, they will eat the plants.