As chickens are natural foragers of food, and they can eat a variety of food. For example, they can eat both plant and animal based food. As they are omnivores birds. That’s why they can eat insects as well as they can peck on the plants. But not each plant is safe for them. As the ivy plant. But can chickens eat ivy? Do chickens know that ivy is not edible for them? And what to do if you have chickens and ivy at your site? How can you keep them away from ivy plants?
If you are curious to know about it, then navigate this article. As this article will look through all of the questions in your mind about ivy and chickens. So let’s start.
However, it is possible that chickens try to peck on the ivy leaves if you have them in your garden. But they are not able to eat it because of its toughness and bitter taste. As ivy plant leaves are rigid and bitter, that’s why chickens don’t like to eat them.
Can Chickens Eat Ivy?
Ivy is a climber’s plant and is used for decoration purposes around the world. As you can decorate walls or any other unpleasant site with them. Because they are climbers and keep growing when they are growing with some support like on a wall or with a wall. But they cannot produce high too much as they have weak stems.
However, several people used to have this plant in their garden or yard, but that doesn’t mean it is safe for us. Because this plant is considered poisonous for humans as well as for birds and animals. And the same goes for your chickens.
As this plant is also not safe for them. However, it is true that chickens are omnivores and can eat a variety of foods. But they can also peck on your ivy plant in your garden. As they can eat vegetables, keep pecking on leaves during foraging, that’s why they can also ride and even take some bites of your poisonous ivy plant.
However, chickens are not that intelligent birds in the matter of eating as in the daily foraging they can also swallow small stones. That’s why they have no idea what is edible for them and whatnot. That’s why they can surely peck on your ivy plant.
As the ivy plant is poisonous to chickens, its leaves are also hard for chickens to eat. Not only this, but their bitter taste helps chickens to keep away from it. And these will be the reasons that can prevent chickens from not pecking on ivy leaves.
Furthermore, because it rarely happens that a chicken eats ivy leaves and is affected by it. However, if chickens eat enough ivy leaves, then they can get problems in their intestinal tract, skin allergy, dermatitis, itching, breathing shortness, etc.
What Other Foods Are Toxic to Chickens?
However, not only are ivy plants poisonous to chickens, but there are many other plants that are not edible to chickens, and they have to avoid.
Plants Of Nightshade Family:
The plants included in this family are potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants. These all plants are toxic to birds, including chickens. As the leaves of the potato plant are toxic to chickens as they are used to produce a compound named Solanine with the use of sunlight.
Not only potato leaves but green potatoes are also toxic to chickens because they are used to produce the same compound when exposed to sunlight.
Furthermore, the same is true for tomato and eggplant. But cooked tomato and potato are no longer dangerous to chickens as cooking breaks down the solanine compound.
Onions:
As we know that onions irritate us when we cut them because of the presence of some compounds. And because of it, they are harmful to chickens as well. As if chickens can eat enough onions, they can cause anemia and jaundice from it. Not only this, onions can destroy blood cells in chickens. And can be fatal for them.
Avocadoes:
However, for us, avocadoes are healthy fruit, and also we have to eat them. But for chickens and other birds, they can be fatal. Because avocadoes, plants, and leaves are used to make a compound known as persin, which helps to keep the fruit safe from insects and worms.
But this persin compound is toxic for chickens as well as for other birds and animals. And it can cause heart problems, respiratory issues, etc.
Apple Seeds:
Not only for chickens but for all other birds’ apple seeds are dangerous because these seeds contain traces of cyanide poison, which can be fatal for chickens and other birds. However, not only apple seeds but avoid giving apple cores to chickens. As they are hard in texture, so can cause choking in chickens.
Chocolates:
However, chocolates are a great snack for humans, but they are not healthy for chickens. Because processed chocolate contains a compound named theobromine, which is toxic to chickens. Moreover, chocolates are not only toxic to chickens, but they are also toxic to other birds and animals like squirrels, cats, and dogs.
Furthermore, we have to avoid offering sweet food to chickens as well. Because sweet foods can cause weight gain in chickens and also cause a low eggs rate.
Read also: Can Chickens Eat Apple Cores?
A Final Thought:
As chickens are natural foragers and used to foraging food, and can eat a variety of food from your garden. But can chickens eat ivy? As ivy plants are commonly use for decoration purposes in gardens and houses.
But ivy plants are not safe for chickens as they contain the poisonous compound. However, chickens can eat them, but they avoid them due to the toughness of the leaves. But if your chicken eats enough ivy plan that can cause ivy poisoning to them, then make sure not to touch your chickens and contact your vet as soon as possible.
There are many other foods that are not edible for them. For example, onions, potato eaves, chocolates, avocadoes, etc.