I’ve often sat back and observed my chickens as they made their daily foraging rounds across my backyard farm. They have slowly but surely covered every square inch of it, and they frequently alter their preferences as to where they prefer to forage.
They’ve recently developed a taste for my geraniums, and I’ve seen that they frequently peck at the blossoms and even eat them. It did raise the question of whether hens can genuinely eat geraniums, though I’m not surprised since they try to eat practically anything.
It’s wonderful to know that geranium flowers are perfectly safe for your chickens to consume in reasonable amounts and that they really contain potent antioxidants and minerals that are beneficial to your chickens. Although there are more than 200 different varieties of geraniums, they are said to be non-toxic and have a number of health advantages.
So long as they are also receiving their usual, balanced diet, it is okay for your chickens to consume geraniums. Whether you want to cut up a few of these edible blossoms and add them to your rotation of nutritious table treats for your chickens, or your chickens are just pecking at them in the yard.
Are hens poisoned by geranium?
Numerous flowers can be safely fed to hens, including:
Flowers from any member of the brassica family, which includes kale, Kohl-rabi, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, romenesco, Brussels sprouts, and calabrese, are permissible for chicken consumption. Therefore, if you cultivate any of these types, as I do, you can wait until they flower before removing them and giving the entire plant to your flock.
I’ve been raising a patch of dandelions for years to provide my chickens with early spring vegetables. It turns out that I was helping the without even realising it. The yolks benefit from the yellow colour.
Pumpkin, zucchini, and courgette blooms are enormous, brilliant yellow, and frequently consumed by humans, so there is no reason your hens should miss out on some.
These were my first edible introduction, and because to the abundance I get from my pumpkin trees, the hens never go hungry. Cucurbitacin, a toxin found in the green stems and leaves of the plants, should not be fed to animals. Only feed the male flowers because, in most situations, they must be pollinated in order to produce fruit.
With the exception of the parsnip, which contains deadly tips, many root vegetable blooms that you grow in your garden can be fed to hens without risk. All of these vegetables are palatable to chickens, including rutabaga, turnip, beetroot, carrot, and radish blossoms. Once more, apply these plants on cultivated species and stay away from the wild varieties. Even your carrot tips can be resprouted to produce greens and blossoms for hens.
Below: I give some of my radishes to the hens that have gone to blossom.
Never feed potatoes or other green sections to hens since they are root vegetables rather than tubers like potatoes.
Natural cures have traditionally included the use of roses and rose hips, and the hip is particularly rich in vitamin C.
Bolting and blossoming lettuce is definitely too bitter for most people, yet chickens don’t seem to mind and continue to eat it.
Clover – Both the red and white clover blooms are safe for chickens to eat because the entire plant is edible.
There are some concerns regarding whether the sulphur compounds in the onion family of plants will hurt chickens or flavour the eggs. These concerns include onion, chive, and garlic blossoms. My chickens accidentally ate the entire green tops of an onion plant in my vegetable garden, but there were no negative consequences.
Marigold: To prepare for winter, grow the common French marigold, cut off the green sections, and dry the petals.
Many people use echinacea, also known as coneflower, which is a plant whose flowers and seeds are thought to be beneficial for enhancing lung health. Echinacea may assist because hens are prone to respiratory diseases.
Thistle: My chickens prefer to wait for the seeds, but in the late summer, I’ve noticed that they also eat the vivid purple blossoms.
Sunflowers: Sunflower petals can be eaten. If the seed head is green, remove it completely. If the seed head is ripe, offer the seeds to the hens as well.
Geranium – The flowers of geraniums are edible, but if you use too much vivid red, it can cause the yolks to become red.
Violets: Safe for hens and used in cookery since the Roman era.
All edible herb blooms, including borage (Borago offincinalis), dill (Anethum graveolens), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), rosemary (Salvia officinalis), and basil (Ocimum basilicum), can be fed to chickens without risk.
What plants can harm chickens?
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.
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.
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 favourite 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.
Can you eat geraniums?
In reality, the “geranium” does not belong to the Geranium family. An evergreen perennial shrub is referred to as a “geranium” by gardeners and botanists. The fact that specialists refer to the common summer bloomers we all know and love as “pelargoniums” only serves to further confuse matters.
Since the first pelargoniums were introduced to Europe in the 17th century and were mistakenly dubbed geraniums because of their resemblance to the perennial plant, the word geranium has been in use ever since!
Geraniums in a single colour can be planted; however, because of the huge range of colours, you can design a really unique look.
For a deeper display, consider the deepest shades of burgundy or purple, or lilac for a vibrant pop of unorthodox colour. If white flowers appeal to you, consider a white variety with a pink or crimson accent in the petals. For a traditional appearance, combine with trailing ivy.
Edible scented geranium parts include the leaves and blooms. Because of the essential oils in their leaves, they enhance the flavour and scent of meat dishes, salads, and desserts in addition to adding visual elements.
It is possible to transform an old wooden chair into a unique hanging shelf on which the flowering geranium can shine.
Just separate an old wooden chair into its component parts, cut a hole through the centre of the seat, and fasten the front half to the backrest with screws so that the saw edge points backward. The chair should next be painted or sprayed, hung, and embellished with a potted geranium and other ornamental items.
The regal geranium in particular complements contemporary decor and was first cultivated as a houseplant.
To achieve a tonal effect, choose hues of the same colour that range from light to dark. Geraniums come in a variety of colors—imagine the brightest orange fading to the palest tangerine, or the deepest hot pink fading to the palest blush. A sense of depth and visual intrigue are created by using various shades of the same colour.
Some geraniums offer medicinal properties in addition to being merely ornamental. The indigenous people of South Africa employed the roots of the Cape region pelargonium to cure respiratory illnesses, and they are now a key component of the herbal treatment “Umckaloabo.” It is also said that the essential oils in some varieties of scented geraniums can reduce stress and despair.
Several scent-leaved geraniums have essential oils in their leaves that can effectively repel insects. These plants exude their fragrance at the least wind or contact. What may smell good to us humans will frighten away bees, wasps, and other insects. Geraniums with citrusy scents, like lemon and orange, work best as insect repellents.
With this creative DIY upcycling idea, you can eat outside beneath a canopy of flowers. Hang potted geraniums that require no maintenance by stringing jute string through old bicycle wheels and fastening it to a pergola or other similar structure.
Geraniums are most commonly associated with the vivid red or white balcony boxers. The geranium, however, comes in a wide range of hues, leaf and flower sizes, shapes, and growth types. In addition to red and white, they also bloom in a broad variety of other colours, including pink, violet, lilac, apricot, orange, and yellow, as well as a variety of bicolor variations.
Geraniums are incredibly low maintenance, simple to care for, and hardy, making them the perfect plant for people who don’t have the time or don’t want to spend a lot of time taking care of their plants. With little time and work, even people without a green thumb may create a lovely flower arrangement.
Why not hang some used bicycle wheels from your fence or wall? a lovely way to show off vibrant flower pots. Simply using wire, the pots are connected to the spokes. Geraniums of various colours that are in bloom create a magnificent floral show.
Geraniums can grow to record-breaking sizes with proper care. Even tales of specimens with purported heights of five metres or circumferences more than ten metres have surfaced. I doubt it for your typical window box, then.
Geraniums can start to bloom as early as May, but you shouldn’t plant these delicate plants outside until the last frost has passed. Similar to how geraniums, despite continuing to bloom far into autumn, are not frost resilient, therefore move plants into a bright, frost-free spot before the temperature lowers at night.
Geraniums in a hanging planter would make a lovely balcony display. All you need are two round wooden poles and connecting parts, two terracotta pots with saucers, glue, rope, and upright or trailing geraniums.
One of the few summer bedding plants that slugs and snails mostly ignore is the pelargonium. Pelargoniums’ bushy foliage may conceal molluscs, but these plant destroyers don’t like their robust stems and thick, meaty leaves.
Place your geraniums in a tall, narrow-footprint plant stand to add height and interest to your balcony. This is the best way to show off the stunning cascade of trailing geraniums.
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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 colour if they consume the marigold petals. Additionally an antioxidant, marigold aids in the body’s detoxification when consumed.
What can I grow close to a coop of chickens?
What Plants Are Best for a Chicken Run?
- Sage. Sage is praised as a herb that helps fend off various illnesses and fight salmonella.
- Thyme. Thyme is well renowned for deterring insects and vermin, so be sure to grow plenty of it close to the chickens’ nesting boxes.
- Lavender.
- Rosemary.
- Sunflowers.
- tree mulberries
- Black Clover.