Wisteria around coop....

[Agnella]

My DH planted wisteria around our chicken run. I have read that it's poisonous to chickens and I'd like to move the wisteria but DH says they won't eat it.

Is that true? Will they eat it or not?

Thank you!

 

[perolane]

Wisteria bark & foliage are poisonous to exotic birds....not sure about chickens. As to will they eat it...most likely.

 

[teach1rusl]

I think it'd really depend on your birds. Many folks say chickens won't normally eat plants that are toxic to them. Burning Bush is on the No-No list, but my chickens have lightly sampled mine, and hang out under them sometimes on hot days. I know that's not really an answer...it's more a "wait-and-watch" response.

I don't know how large your plants are already, but you may want to leave them, see what happens, and block them with wire if the birds start going after them...

 

[silkiechicken]

Not sure how poisonous it is, but I've had birds devour potato peels and all the leaves off a 4 foot round ruhbarb plant.... no ill effects... but they also don't eat them anymore. LOL

 

[dawg53]

I have large wisteria vines crawling on my chainlink fence. A couple of my chickens have eaten a few of the purple flowers when they started to drop off this past spring with no ill effects, but havnt eaten anymore since. The chickens are fine, no problems. They havnt eaten any other part of the plant neither, it's like they instinctively know what's ok to eat or not to eat. They didnt mess with all the bumblebees neither lol.

 

[Agnella]

I noticed a few of my girls and the roo munching on the wisteria leaves this morning. They are always in their run so I'm sure something new to peck at is pretty exciting! I'll keep an eye on them and if I need to dig up the wisteria, I'll dig it up!

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Ninamm]

My Girls tend to just eat the dried whisteria leaves. No ill affects either here. I know they liked the Gingko shoots that were growing out of our gingko tree. No ill affects either on that. They do know wha to eat and not eat. Smart birdies. Or Fowlies..lol

 

[Glowingbea]

My DH planted wisteria around our chicken run. I have read that it's poisonous to chickens and I'd like to move the wisteria but DH says they won't eat it.

Is that true? Will they eat it or not?

Thank you!

I have had huge 60 ft fence line of wisteria & none of my chickens eat it. Sometimes I notice new pullets peck at it, then never touch it again