Single hen

[sallyhennypenny]

Does anyone know the effect of eating foxgloves on chickens? I'm wondering whether my sick hen might have nibbled at some foxglove seedlings.

 

Thanks

[Guest]

The Omlet man told me foxgloves would be poisonous to chickens, but I don't know what effect they would have. I hope someone will advise you soon.

[red]

Don't know about that? I thought foxgloves are supposed to be poisenous to all sorts of animals and humans but I've never had any experience of troubles and I seemed to have loads in my garden this year. Are there foxglove seedlings about at vthis time of year??

 

I can however reassure everyone that Himalayan Honeysuckle is harmless as my hens have eaten LOADS of the little berries hanging off mine and they're fine

 

Hope you poorly hen gets better soon sallyhennypenny

[sallyhennypenny]

Yes I've had masses of seedlings - I'd remove the grown plants (regretably) because I heard that they were poisonous but hadn't noticed the seedlings until I was looking for the cause for my hen being poorly.

[The Dogmother]

They are definitely poisonous to bunnies, and I would think that they are to other animals too. They are the source of Digitalis - a heart drug ingredient. I understand that recently a gardener tried to commit suicide by eating some.

 

I have a few in my garden, the bunnies are kept away from them, but the chooks don't seem to have botherd at all - they seem to know what's good for them and what's not - which is more than can be said for the daft bunnies!

[Samuel Morse]

Does this apply to the flowers or the leaves? My chickens are stripping the tops of the leaves of quite a few foxgloves that have yet to grow significantly.

[Guest]

My brother in law(farmer should know better..um) fed mine some leaves the other week and I told him off but they are still truly well & alive...the drug digoxin is made from them(perhaps mine needed it)

 

Its usually listed as very toxic etc

 

Perhaps Chickens are exempt..I wouldnt feed it to them but mine dont free range..

 

indie

[Samuel Morse]

Mine have eaten a few of the flower seeds in the past but don't seem interested anymore. As for the leaves, they attacked a whole load of radish seedlings but just nipped the tips of the leaves so maybe it's a similar thing with the foxglove leaves. They seem fine though, I don't think I am going to worry about it, I worry about everything else anyway.

[Saronne]

Mine devoured a whole patch of them early last autumn before I could work out whether they were safe or not. The hens were absolutely fine.