Wild Cherrys. Are they deadly?

[atvrider]

I just noticed the other day that there is a wild cherry tree right over top of my brand new run! The tree is producing fruit and is prob about to drop its fruit. Ive heard the storys of livestock eating the leaves and dieing but i dont know about the fruit vs. my chickens? Will it kill them,hurt them, or can they enjoy them? Does anyone have any advice to what i should do?

 

[Jeeper1540]

*bump*

 

[Morgan7782]

YAY something I can answer!! Cherry bark is poisonous when damaged. I have a cherry tree in my yard that sprouted a baby in my chicken pen and they LOVED the leaves. I cut the baby cherry tree down though because I learned about the cherry bark. I did not cut the big one. However, the chickens do love cherries from the big one and I have not seen any ill effects from them eating the cherries, though they prefer the ones sold at intersections haha.

Adding: My cherry tree sits right above my pen as well, but the truck is outside the pen. When my girls free range oddly enough they no longer eat the leaves.. at least of the adult tree.

 

[RuffledFeathers]

I also have wild cherries- AKA bird cherries or sour cherries- above my run area. Between the robins and blue jays and chickens there is not much left. They are small, hard, and horrible to eat when judged by a human palette, but the feathered creatures go NUTS! Those trees sprout up everywhere and I have never heard of any poisonous elements to them.

 

[kayri]

if they were, I think there would be dead birds everywhere.

 

[atvrider]

ok thanks everyone! im really glad i dont have to cut that tree down now.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Wild cherries in the NE section of the country are also known as Choke Cherries. The cherries are tiny little things that grow in clusters. There is such a thing as chokecherry jelly for those patient enough to pick that many!
As for danger: wild cherry leaves are deadly WHEN WILTED! Dried, they are ok; fresh they are ok. When in the wilt stage just a few can kill a large animal. I never heard anything about the bark being dangerous. These trees are most dangerous in a pasture after a storm. If you have them and livestock on your property, please check them after storms so no limbs are broken.

 

[NYREDS]

Back in my Hippie, back to nature days I used to make a cough syrup from cherry bark. I just checked & I'm not dead.

ETA- I've had goats eat the bark off young cherry trees as high as they could reach. Didn't seem to harm them.

 

[Morgan7782]

Alright, let me clarify then.. Cherry bark is poisonous to ANIMALS such as livestock when it has been damaged. Sort of like a defense mechanism. That's what my information is anyhow, I would rather be safe then sorry

I doubt somebody would make sure their chicken is only eating "medical doses" haha

http://www.melodyanns.com/cherry_bark_wild.html

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/poison/?section=species&id=109

Just a few sites to read up on