HELP! Chickens ate all the milkweed plants!

[Bad Wolf]

Our chickens have almost 3 acres to forage on... instead, they decide to eat the milkweed. I think I read that this is a poisonous plant for them to eat. Should I be worried? They have never done this before, they always have left it alone. It's like they're addicted to it, they won't leave it alone. It's not just one chicken, it's about 7 of them. They are ripping big pieces off and eating them. We are going to have to cut them all down. Any advice? Are they going to be ok?

 

[HouseCat]

Chances are, if all of your chickens were eating it, they'll be fine. Animals won't typically eat poisonous plants and if they do, it's one bite-not a meal.

 

[Sylvestor12]

I wouldn't worry unless they begin to act sick. It may be a cumulative thing where it builds up. It will be harder on their liver so make sure they get plenty of water.

 

[janinepeters]

sprothero - very interesting. Are you sure it is milkweed? Can you post photos of the plant?

 

[Bad Wolf]

Thank you everyone! I will watch them closely. I just checked on them and they are good... Just wondering why I'm looking at them with a flashlight

I don't have a picture right now but I know for sure it's milkweed, I have taken the leaves with monarch eggs off and have them set up in my sunroom. I didn't want the chickens to try eating the monarch caterpillars. We have many chrysalis already!

Thank you again for all your replies! It was just so weird that they went after those leaves when they have always been there and they usually ignore them. Even when I was trying to cut them down, you would think I was taking away their most favorite treat! Silly chickens!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Avians can sometimes eat things that we mammals should not. This is one of them.

 

[Christia]

My chickens especially love the young milk weed plants (Euphorbia peplus), also named cancer weed, and I have now left it at that. I know many plants have folk names called milk weeds, so maybe the variety you talk about is different. I suspect like with mammals, something that has potential to be poisonous, could be beneficial when taken in smaller amounts? So I suppose sometimes they seem to know what they need? On most farms free range chickens eat whatever weeds they like and I can't remember any sick chickens on the farm where I grew up.

 

[RobertaD1]

You may want to find some milkweed seeds are transplant some in small containers for when those Caterpillars emerge...... they are going to be hungry! You gonna need that milkweed then!