Chickens typically know what foods are healthy for them to consume, but when it comes to my garden, I prefer to select edible flowers.
While we have azaleas, lupine, and other perennial plants that could be an issue if they ate them, I don’t worry all that much because our flock has so much other food to eat when they’re out roaming the yard. In general, chickens know what’s harmful for them and will remain clear.
I do, however, tend to choose edible annual flowers when picking those to intentionally plant each spring. I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Our chickens occasionally stray into the flower beds, but they generally seem more interested in sifting through the soil in search of worms and bugs, sparing the flowers.
Since they are annuals towards the end of the season, I don’t mind if the hens choose to eat them.
What did I decide to grow this spring, then? Purple salvia, Proven Winners Royal Velvet petunias, and African marigolds. All of it is chicken and human-edible. Petunias bloom nonstop throughout the summer, salvia is a favorite of bees, and the marigolds planted along the garden’s edge help keep bugs out.
For the back porch, we also purchased some wax begonias in pots. Again, it is both human and animal-edible. (And you can rely on the Proven Winners brand since their plants are farmed by family-owned farms without the use of neonicotinoids, which can harm bees and other pollinators.)
Additionally, I grew some Calibrachoa. Calibrachoa belongs to the nightshade family of plants despite having a striking resemblance to petunias in appearance. This family also includes white potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, all of which can be poisonous to hens.
The Calibrachoa were then placed in window boxes that were raised above the ground and in an area where hens don’t usually stray.
Before you go shopping for your spring annuals, refer to the lists of additional edible flower varieties I’ve included below. Also, keep in mind that all culinary herbs, such as lavender, pineapple sage, thyme, and basil, have edible flowers that are great for planting in areas where your chickens can forage.
Are there any flowers that hens should avoid?
Daffodils, foxglove, morning glory, yew, jimson weed, tulips, lily of the valley, azaleas, rhododendron, mountain laurel, monkshood, amaryllis, castor bean, trumpet vine, nightshade, nicotiana, and tansy are just a few of the plants that are harmful to hens.
What kinds of flowers shouldn’t hens eat?
Avoid these 14 toxic plants with your chickens.
- Azalea. Thanks to their waxy green leaves and vibrant blossoms, these deciduous shrubs are common in landscaping all over the United States.
- Beans. Hemagglutinin, which is poisonous to chickens, is present in uncooked beans.
- Bulbs.
- Ferns.
- Foxglove.
- Holly.
- Lobelia.
- Lupine.
Petunias can be eaten.
Although some flowers taste better than they smell, not all flowers have a delicious flavor. Many inedible flowers have unpleasant flavors but are not poisonous. Verify again and again which blooms are edible and which are not. Occasionally, flowers used as garnishes in restaurants have inedible parts. For instance, while certain orchids are offered, not all of them are. Although they belong to the nightshade family and have been used as garnish, petunias should not be consumed. African violets can’t be eaten. Although many common marigolds lack flavor, other varieties of marigolds do. The “Lemon Gem” and “Orange Gem” varieties of Gem Marigold are the edible varieties.
Some flowers are merely unappealing, while others have the potential to make you very ill. You shouldn’t eat foxglove, flower of the valley, oleander, 4 o’clocks, wisteria, or sweet pea. Additionally, Schreiber advises against picking flowers from roadside ditches for meals because you never know what has been used to spray them or how clean they are. She also warns against confusing viola flowers with tasty African violets.
To ensure that the flowers you consume haven’t been treated with pesticides, Teresa O’Connor, author of Grocery Gardening, advises buying organically produced seed plants and producing your own delicious flowers. Schreiber advises against consuming plants in the daisy family, such as sunflower, if you have severe allergies. Additionally, young children under the age of four should not eat flowers.
Many of us are unclear of which flowers are edible and may even be hesitant to eat flowers altogether when gorgeous nasturtiums or violas adorn our plates. Even while edible flowers give our meals a charming new twist, Schreiber noted that including flowers on the menu is nothing new. In the Middle East, there is evidence of flower ingestion dating back to at least 2000 BC. Growing edible flowers for you and your family to eat is an old technique that has been rediscovered in modern gardening, much like growing our own food is an ancient activity that is being discovered again.
Nasturtium
The leaves and blossoms of nasturtium are not only attractive to insects that consume the dreadful squash beetle larvae, but they are also edible to humans and make lovely salad garnishes.
Your chickens will adore eating the blooms and leaves, which are known to contain antibacterial and natural worming characteristics.
Squash blossoms
They are delicious when filled with a sausage/ricotta mixture and cooked, and fowl also enjoy them just from the vine.
Let children occasionally indulge; the flower is a wonderful source of calcium, iron, and vitamin A.
Marigolds
In addition to keeping insects away from your garden, marigolds act as an antioxidant and encourage the development of new skin cells.
In addition, chickens who consume marigolds produce eggs with vibrant yellow yolks.
Bee Balm
The lovely flower known as bee balm has leaves that may be used to make a healthy tea with antibacterial characteristics that can be used to treat respiratory issues in both humans and hens.
Naturally, it also draws bees, which aid in pollinating your fruit trees and flowers. The bloom and foliage will be tasty to your chickens.
Dandelions
Dandelions taste great in salads. Technically speaking, they are weeds, so why not pick some for your chickens instead of spraying them?
They are one of your yard’s most nutrient-dense plants and a natural detoxifier, containing a lot of iron, calcium, and vitamin A.
Roses
Both humans and hens can benefit from the blood-toxin-clearing, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties of roses and rose hips.
Another traditional and lovely technique to add an edible decoration to a cake is with roses.
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are undoubtedly a favorite among the feathered community. They are also incredibly healthy, giving both humans and hens protein and necessary fatty acids.
Your chickens will enjoy stripping the stalks of the leaves, which are also edible.
Which garden plants are harmful to chickens?
The majority of food you give chickens will be eaten. They like treats and exploring the garden in search of trees, flowers, bugs, and juicy worms. However, there are several foods and plants that might sicken or even kill your hens.
- Members of the nightshade family of plants Potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant are examples of the plants of the nightshade family. These plants are classified as Solanaceae in Latin. This is due to the presence of a substance called solanine in them. Chickens get poisoned by this. However, if the plants are cooked, the chemical can be broken down. So you may normally feed your chickens any cooked potatoes or tomatoes. It is advisable to simply stop giving these plants to your chickens if you are concerned.
- Onions – When consumed in large numbers, onions may result in anemia or jaundice, which may occasionally be fatal. This is due to the presence of thiosulphate, which kills red blood cells.
- Avocados – The toxin persin can be found in avocados. The condition where the heart stops beating, known as myocardial necrosis, has been linked to this.
- Apple seeds contain cyanide, which can cause your chickens to perish. When giving them apples, make sure they are seed-free because any other part of the fruit is acceptable.
- Citrus fruit – While citrus fruits are unlikely to kill your chickens, they do reduce egg output. It’s okay to eat in moderation.
- Raw, dried beans contain the toxin hemagglutinin, which might be poisonous to your chickens. Cooked beans are acceptable.
- sweets, such as chocolate Theobromine is a poison found in chocolate. Similar to how too much sugar is unhealthy for humans, too much sugar will make your chickens overweight, which will reduce their ability to produce eggs.
- Salty meals – Because chickens don’t naturally consume a lot of salt, they can develop salt sickness.
- Food that has mold on it should never be given to hens since the mold can make them sick and perhaps kill them. As long as there is no mold, overripe, wilted vegetables or stale bread are all acceptable.
Be very careful not to overfeed your chickens with goodies like bread, cereal, and pasta, which have poor nutritional value and can lead to obesity. In moderation, dairy products and an excessive amount of iceberg lettuce should also be given. Please keep in mind that since chickens—even domestic ones—are considered farm animals, you are now prohibited from giving them anything that was cooked in a kitchen where it might have come into contact with any other animal products.
Toxic Garden Plants
Many garden plants are poisonous to hens as well. Normally, your chickens won’t approach them on their own because they don’t taste very good to them. Making sure your chickens don’t have access to these plants, though, can be a smart idea. The list of garden plants toxic to your chickens is provided below.
Are marigolds edible to chickens?
Although marigolds aren’t exactly herbs, they can help keep pests out of your chicken coop and help keep insects away from the perimeter of your garden. Fresh marigolds can help keep your chickens’ nesting boxes free of insects, much like mint and lavender do. Your chickens’ egg yolks, beaks, and feet will turn a stunning, vivid orange color if they consume the marigold petals. Additionally an antioxidant, marigold aids in the body’s detoxification when consumed.
What causes poison in chickens?
Avoid foods that could give eggs a bad flavor. The two most frequent substances that might alter the flavor of eggs are garlic and onions.
Some other foods need to be avoided since they have poisons that can harm or even kill birds.
- Because they contain the toxin persin, avocado pits and peels are poisonous to hens. Chickens can eat avocado flesh without issue.
- Hemagglutinin, a substance found in undercooked or dried beans, can prevent the bird from properly digesting anything it consumes.
- Anthraquinones, which are found in rhubarb, may have laxative effects. Oxalic acid, which can be lethal to hens, can be found in large concentrations in rhubarb that has been severely cold-damaged.
- Foods that are moldy, rotting, or very salty may be hazardous and cause excessively moist feces.
If you adhere to the 90/10 rule and are careful of the foods your chickens have access to, feeding them a balanced and full diet is simple. As a baseline, begin with a complete feed, and then take care not to over-treat your birds with treats. When you do give a bird treats, make sure they are wholesome, healthful snacks that go well with its diet.
Are you prepared to observe the impact a complete feed can have on your flock? Activate your Feed Greatness Challenge account.
*The Feed Greatness Challenge is a 60-day feeding trial in which you will feed Purina feed, keep track of the health and performance of your flock, take pictures, and get informative emails.
What plants won’t chickens eat?
New chicken caretakers frequently ask me which garden plants are good for the birds. Since I’ve been working on this list for more than ten years, I believe I’m getting quite close to declaring it accurate.
This list of chicken-friendly plants is for you if you’re wanting to put some plants in your garden that your chickens won’t touch. Chickens will, of course, scratch about and eat many plants in the garden, including sensitive vegetable and fruit harvests that you will need to fence off to keep them out.
These are the plants that chickens typically ignore, according on my experience. Please share your discoveries in the comments section if you have any more suggestions.
What kind of ground cover is ideal for a chicken run?
The following are some suggestions you should be aware of when choosing the soil for the chicken run:
- Construction sand or river sand are the best types of sand to utilize as chicken run dirt. There may be little rocks in this sand as well.
- Instead of using a shovel, chicken farmers most often use a rake to remove the droppings from the sand. Then, every six months, they remove the top layer of sand.
- Concrete is an easy-to-clean substance that can be cleaned with just a hose, water, and a chemical-free disinfection solvent.
- Typically, wood flooring is rustic, smooth, and made of plywood. Wood floors frequently have a second layer of wood shavings on top of them. Always keep the shavings dry and free of dust.
- There shouldn’t be any pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or other chemicals of any type in grass used as chicken flooring.
- You should rotate the chicken run once a month to ensure that the hens are always on grass. Every time you rotate the run, you want to take advantage of the chance to reseed the prior section of grass.
Petunia flowers: are they toxic?
Ingesting any part of the petunia plant will not make you sick or poison you. There is no evidence to suggest that coming into contact with a Petunia plant will result in an allergic reaction. When planting flowers in outdoor spaces that kids can access, petunias are a secure choice.