Ivy, is it poisonous

[fishpond]

Bowing deeply to the ones that know.
The land I will be giving over to chooks is (at the moment) infested with ground ivy--- is this poisonous to them or is it not a problem.

Many thanks for your replies and may all your egg boxes be forever full

[janeyo]

I believe it is. We have a small bit growing but they totally ignore it so maybe they know?

[fishpond]

Sorry Janeyo/ my deepest apologies
I meant ivy (The stuff that grows everywhere, up trees /telegraph poles/ all over parts of my garden) ------- not ground ivy.

Still good to know though.

[julesapple]

Sorry Janeyo/ my deepest apologies
I meant ivy (The stuff that grows everywhere, up trees /telegraph poles/ all over parts of my garden) ------- not ground ivy.

My garden wall is covered thickly with ivies. I planted most of them way back before chooks. They hide in it, peck it for insects etc but they never ever eat it. Even our little tinies and juniors never eat it. I think they know instinctively that they cannot eat it.

Jules

[janeyo]

is it not the same gene of plant then? Ours grows up throught the conifers and hangs down.... they ignore all of it!

I think so long as that is not all that is growing then they will just ignore it.

[its hilly]

Don't know about chooks, but it is poisonous to horses. Helpful arn't I
I'd hazard a guess that it is, but if they have plenty of things to do and eat they wont touch it. I've got ivy on my paddock wall but they just poke in it for bugs. However like most animals theres always one idiot in the bunch, so I'd be inclined to clear as much as possible if its growing in where they will live. Theres a difference between ignoring a bit and not being able to move without falling over the stuff.

[Scarlet]

I've got it in with my chickens and they have never touched it - never even gave it a thought.

[fishpond]

Many Thanks for all replies.
I had to clear a little today to erect two of the posts for the run.
I wondered where some of the baby frogs had gone in this hot weather--now I know. I relocated 35 in a hour.
So it looks like its all got to be pulled by hand and the small pond area loaded up with logs and ivy and fenced off.
I just hope this is going to be worth it

[janeyo]

chooks luuuurve eating frogs!