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 chickens safe to use 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 realizing it. The yolks benefit from the yellow color.
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 sulfur compounds in the onion family of plants will hurt chickens or flavor 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 kinds of flowers won’t a chicken eat?
Some landowners in Montgomery County are now concerned about poultry in addition to deer. Particularly young families like the educational opportunities that keeping hens provides for their kids. Vegetation should be a regular element of the diet of chickens because they love it and need to eat it. A garden can be swiftly destroyed by hens, which is unfortunate for the owners. But just like deer, there are many herbs that can be used in the landscape that hens won’t eat. Borage, calendula (pot marigold), catnip, chives, feverfew, lavender, marjoram, Mexican sage, peppermint, and spearmint, as well as rosemary, sage, salvias, St. John’s wort, tansy, and yarrow are a few of these. Almost any plant will eventually be consumed by chickens if there is no other food source. These herbs will add color and texture to the landscaping, but chickens won’t eat them if they have access to other plants during mealtime.
Some herbs’ potent aromas or fuzzy leaves will deter both chickens and deer from foraging in the garden. These plants will enhance the landscape all year long with beauty and enjoyment.
Can hens eat the flowers I have?
Isn’t it pleasant to consider that you may now feed those weeds to your sheep rather than having to throw them out? Additionally, if you let your hens go free, they will help you with part of the weeding. (They won’t, of course, take the root out of the earth.) If you have a compost pile, you might want to consider adding your weeds to it before letting your flock forage there. (For a link on composting, see the article’s conclusion.)
Naturally, there are other weeds that you shouldn’t feed your flock. These consist of:
- Buttercup
- John’s wort
Herbs can be very beneficial and healthful for chickens, much like weeds. Beneficial herbs include lavender, bee balm, yarrow, oregano, parsley, and mint. Calming, peaceful, and fragrant describe lavender. Additionally relaxing and helpful to a chicken’s digestive system is bee balm. Yarrow improves the respiratory system and relieves tension and pain. Salmonella, E. coli, infectious bronchitis, coccidiosis, and other illnesses are thought to be resistant to oregano. One of my favorites is parsley. It has a high vitamin content, benefits the digestive system, and stimulates egg production. Mint is quite scented and helps keep flies away from the chickens’ housing.
There are several herbs that are good for chickens. The best I could think of other the ones already mentioned is as follows:
I simply adore giving my flock herbal remedies! Their health has improved, and even their eggs have. For flock owners who want to maintain their naturally healthy flock, herbs are a “must-have.
There are, however, some poisonous herbs that can harm your sheep. Avoid doing the following: C. A. Bean
- Honeysuckle
- Vetch
In addition to greens, chickens also enjoy eating flowers. They enjoy eating petals in the same way that humans eat spaghetti! Numerous flowers have positive effects on chicken health. Examples include nasturtiums, marigolds, and roses. Aromatic, relaxing, and rich in vitamin C are rose petals. My preferred flower to use in my flock may be marigolds. They have a strong perfume, give egg yolks color, and soothe sensitive skin. Nasturtium has laying-stimulating and mild antibacterial properties. The greatest place for all three of these blooms is in hen nesting boxes.
What should you avoid growing near chickens?
Phytotoxic Plants for Chickens
- Members of the nightshade family (therefore keep hens away from tomatoes and tomato plants!).
- Boxwood.
- the castor bean
- Clematis.
- Eucalyptus.
- Hydrangea.
- Iris.
- Ivy.
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 color can be planted; however, because of the huge range of colors, 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 color. 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 flavor 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 color 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 color.
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 colors, 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 colors 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 meters or circumferences more than ten meters 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 character to your balcony. This is the best way to show off the stunning cascade of trailing geraniums.
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