Horse chestnuts - toxicity?

[Scatterbolt]

We have a large horse chestnut tree that drops leaves and fruit over most of our backyard. This is our first year having our chickens in an open pen, and it’s inevitable that debris will wind up in with them. Horse chestnuts are toxic to many animals, and are listed as toxic to chickens on several websites I’ve found.

Does anyone have personal experience? I found one in the pen thoroughly nibbled, so they aren’t instinctively avoiding them (I guess I’ll see if there are any ill effects from that small amount). If their exposure needs to be reduced to zero, that will mean constructing a cover for the run and no free-ranging this fall, so I’m curious just how concerned we need to be.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

There are lots of things said to be toxic to various critters. We had horse chestnuts but got rid of them because I think they were causing my one dog to break out yearly.

My chickens free range. They seem to avoid toxic stuff or at least they don't consume enough to matter. I find chickens that aren't confined or limited on feed will make good decisions about what to eat or not eat. Most toxic plants taste bad anyways.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Huh, I didn't know about this... I've been gathering fallen leaves and seed husks for the past 2 years for use in my chicken run. No chickens have gotten sick or died during that time (then again I don't see them attempting to eat any of it, just scratching around in it).

I only have one tree though, so the leaves are mixed with a variety of other types like maple, magnolia, willow.

 

[katiwright]

Did you get a response about the horse chestnut trees hurting your chickens? I built a coop in my backyard when I moved and there are two huge chestnut trees in the yard. One is right over their run which makes for a great shade tree. Some of my birds have died after a couple of years, so I don't know if it's from that. How did your birds do? If it's the trees, I feel I should maybe get rid of them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Did you get a response about the horse chestnut trees hurting your chickens? I built a coop in my backyard when I moved and there are two huge chestnut trees in the yard. One is right over their run which makes for a great shade tree. Some of my birds have died after a couple of years, so I don't know if it's from that. How did your birds do? If it's the trees, I feel I should maybe get rid of them.

I still put a large amount of horse chestnut leaves in the run each fall. I've not had a bird die from unknown causes or even age, yet, so...