rhubarb

[rowell3]

is it poisonous to chooks or can i put my coop near it

[petal]

rhubarb leaves are deadly poisonous.

[Aberdeenplotter]

rhubarb leaves are deadly poisonous.

To humans and to animals because of the Oxalic acid content.

[rowell3]

thanks for the quick info,now i need to get rid of the rhubarb

[vicky]

Could you make a small 'rhubarb cage' out of chicken wire or similar?

[Polly Fouracre]

I have free-ranged my chickens for years where rhubarb grows in abundance and have never known them to eat the leaves. They will have a bit of a peck at the new leaves at this time of year but leave what they have pecked off on the ground.

[petal]

I have a wire cage around my rhubarb - best idea!

[Nicos]

I've had a google around and the general impression is that yes- it is toxic but many peeps have had their chooks eat it with no problems- and that it is the rhubarb which is likely to suffer.

This ,however, suggests that the eggs will produce thin shells...

Answers.com - Will rhubarb hurt chickens if they eat it


personally I'd leave it and see if they ignore it- and if not ,chicken wire around it, for the general health of the plant and chooks!

[chris]

Mine ate all my rhubarb leaves at the end of the season, I posted about it before - I think someone advised that it looses its toxicity when it starts to die back. My coop is right near my rhubarb too, planning on putting mesh around it later on the season though

[country chic]

My girl demolished the rhubarb leave's at the end of last summer with no ill effects.