What? Chickens can't eat clover?

[americanvalkyrie]

The March/April issue of Chickens (Hobby Farms) has an article on safetly free ranging your chickens in your yard. A sidebar has a list of toxic plants. Most of these make sense...

Buckeye
Buttercup
Clover
Fireweed
Foxglove
Ground Ivy
Hemlock
Hemp
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Japanese Yew
Jimson Weed
Kentucky Coffee Tree
Lantana
Larkspur
Lily-of-the-Valley
Lupine
Milkweed
Purple Mint
Nicker Tree
Nightshade
Ohio Buckeye
Oleander
Philodendron
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Saint-John's-wort
Sudan Grass
Tulip

But clover??? That's safe for human consumption, unlike all of the others. I've read several posts where members recommend giving clover to their chickens, and my front lawn is full of it during the summer. Can anyone clarify this for me?

 

[EweSheep]

Mine ate clover without any ill effects.......not all the stuff on the list is toxic. It would be toxic if that is all you feed day in and day out. Past threads have revealed how people let chickens sample their own way in the yard.

 

[cravenchx]

OOPS, I better go tell mine they can't have anymore!

 

[EweSheep]

If they have not been sick or suffered ill effects, I would let them decide whats good and not good.

 

[aoxa]

If they have not been sick or suffered ill effects, I would let them decide whats good and not good.

exactly.

Anything in large amounts is not good for anyone. They need a balanced diet.

 

[BobBry]

I , IN MY PREVIOUS IGNORANCE , PLANTED ALTERNATING ROWS OF CLOVER AND ALFALFA EARLY LAST SUMMER. (JUNE IN MICHIGAN). MY YOUNG CHICKENS, HATCHED 1ST WEEK OF APRIL, DIDN'T START REALLY CHOWING ON THEM TILL LATE FALL. BY GROUND FREEZING, DECEMBER THIS YEAR, THEY HAD LEFT ONLY ROOTS. ALSO, THERE USED TO BE A LARGE RHUBARB PLANT RIGHT OUTSIDE THE POP DOOR TO THE RUN. THAT IS GONE TO A DEPTH OF 5-6 ". I HAVE 5 HENS. ALL STILL IN GOOD HEALTH APPARENTLY. I AGREE THAT IN GREATER QUANTITIES THE LISTED PLANTS COULD BE HARMFUL.

 

[aoxa]

     I , IN MY PREVIOUS IGNORANCE ,  PLANTED ALTERNATING ROWS OF CLOVER  AND ALFALFA  EARLY LAST SUMMER.  (JUNE IN MICHIGAN).  MY YOUNG CHICKENS, HATCHED  1ST  WEEK OF APRIL,  DIDN'T START REALLY CHOWING ON THEM TILL LATE FALL.  BY  GROUND FREEZING, DECEMBER THIS YEAR,  THEY HAD LEFT ONLY ROOTS.   ALSO, THERE USED TO BE A LARGE RHUBARB  PLANT RIGHT OUTSIDE THE POP DOOR TO THE RUN.  THAT IS [COLOR=FF0000]GONE[/COLOR]  TO A DEPTH OF 5-6 ".  I HAVE 5 HENS. ALL STILL IN GOOD HEALTH APPARENTLY.  I AGREE THAT IN GREATER QUANTITIES THE LISTED PLANTS COULD BE HARMFUL.  

Why the Capslock?

 

[Clay Mudd]

Chickens are just doomed! Clover's bad for them, alfalfa's bad for them, regular feed has them thar evil GMOs in it, organic feed has hippie cooties...

You just can't win!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

There are many species of clover. It could be that one particular species may be bad for poultry. I've never heard of one, but given that there are many species I suppose it's possible. Most are very good poultry feed.

 

[mohillbilly]