flowers and chickens

[tlck9]

I'm planning on putting a small flower bed near my polytunnel, its within my main garden and the chucks only get to go in it when I'm there, never whn I'm not as there is only a 4 foot fence surrounding

I wanted to put some cut flowers there, including sweat peas, but I was worried that certain flowres could be poisionous to the chickens.

I had plans to plant, sweat peas, dhalias, cosmos, poppies, sunflowers, wild flowers etc to attract bees etc

its about 3 metres form the main run, so even if it attracts a number of bees shouldnt be swarming near to the chucks

[Bramble-Poultry]

i have bee hives near to my chooks without any trouble. they have a healthy respect for each other! the only time the bee tend to get eaten by the chooks is when the drones are expelled from the hive in late autumn. it safe for them to eat these bees as drones dont carry a sting.

as for flowers, even the safe ones will get nailed by the chooks. pardon the pun but they will make a bee line for them! you should be fine wild poppy and sunflower as the seeds are edible. i would just perhaps put a low barrier of lightweight black plastic netting infront of the flower bed. that way being black you cant really see it, but it provides a gentle physical barrier to "plant genocide"

[BUFFS]

they seem to know what not to eat,but they will sweep thru your flowers in no time,i have delphiniums and the adore the leaves,they literally strip a plant in no time at all...but thats keeping chooks for you,you spend 30 years building up a plant collection and then find yourself watching them devour it in minutes...and smiling at their antics....

[its hilly]

Tick, if you want to keep bees happy include some thyme or marjoram too, its their favourite in my little borders. I leave a patch to grow and flower specially for them, the rest gets used for cooking or trimmed and given to the chookleheads for treats.

[frias]

I placed a tray of pansies on the ground, only turned my back for 2 minutes! Obviously very tasty.
My lot snap away at anything that flies past them. I've often wondered what happens if they get a bee or wasp.

[Bramble-Poultry]

borrage is excellant for bees. they make plenty of honey on that - plus its good in Pimms.........

[Nicos]

Here's a list of ones to avoid..

List of plants that are poisonous or harmful to chickens - Omlet Club Wiki

Although- it's not to say they'd eat them anyway!
My field is about 50% clover- and they're fine on that!

[tlck9]

great thanks for the tips, a small barrier I think is the way forward!!!

[BUFFS]

Here's a list of ones to avoid..

List of plants that are poisonous or harmful to chickens - Omlet Club Wiki

Although- it's not to say they'd eat them anyway!
My field is about 50% clover- and they're fine on that!

it says on that site that delphiniums are poisonous or harmful to chooks,mine make a beeline for the leaves, and finish them off at an amazing rate,and no ill effects at all,they run past the perpetual spinach to get to it,so does that mean different delphiniums or robust chooks? or at least is it the flowers and seeds, either way i have to fence them off at the moment,to let the plants start to grow..

[tlck9]

although rhubarb leaves are classed as poisonous, I read somewhere they area natural wormer in very small amounts?

[frias]

although rhubarb leaves are classed as poisonous, I read somewhere they area natural wormer in very small amounts?

I was gonna say that.

[squibbs]

Most of the lists with clover in seem to be the same list cut and pasted - who knows where the original came from.

I have seen more reasoned comments that white clover specifically is safe and so I shall go ahead and sow some in the broody run which will be closed to chickens for about 2 months plus.

My chickens also used to eat small amounts of rhubarb leaves - then I killed the rhubarb by overforcing it.

I would usually follow the advice that chickens will eat what is good for them and leave the rest.