Plants Toxic to Chickens

By Deb Haines

This list is a start, there are many more Toxic plants/harmful plants ,I will add to list as I research the plants finding veterinary documentation through studies that are either toxic or could be harmful to chickens.

Toxic does not necessarily mean fatal. It usually refers to a substance which may cause a reaction in an individual bird ( ANIMAL ) ranging from a mild irritation, GI upset to death. This is a list of possible plants which may be regarded as toxic to birds and in particular poultry.

yes, this causes some confusion among people who want to do the right thing for their poultry and those who wish to argue with a list by saying “my birds have always eaten this or that and never died!” Many of the plants listed may be on this list because of their found toxicity to other animals if its been documented then its on the list.

Please remember some animals can eat something and show no signs, others can eat a plant and become ill or  can cause death….these are plants to keep you aware of …info was from Cornell University, UF extension office, Mississippi State University, Langston University and state extension offices.

ARUM LILY                                                                                        
AMARYLLIS
ARALIA
ARROWHEAD VINE
AUTUMN CROCUS
AUSTRALIAN FLAMETREE
AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA TREE
AVOCADO
AZALEA
BANEBERRY
BEANS: (CASTOR, HORSE, FAVA, BROAD, GLORY, SCARLET RUNNER,
MESCAL
BIRD OF PARADISE
BISHOP’S WEED
BITTERWEED
BLACK LAUREL
BLACK LOCUST
BLEEDING HEART
BLOODROOT
BLUEBONNET
BLUEGREEN ALGAE
BOXWOOD
BRACKEN FERN
BRYONY
BUCKTHORN
BURDOCK
BUTTERCUP
CACAO
CAMEL BUSH
CARELESSWEED
CASTOR BEAN
CALADIUM
CANA LILY
CARDINAL FLOWER
CHALICE (TRUMPET VINE)
CHERRY TREE
CHINA BERRY TREE
CHRISTMAS CANDLE
CLEMATIS (VIRGINIA BOWER
CLIVIA
COCKLEBUR
COFFEE (SENNA)
CORAL PLANT
CORIANDER
CORNCOCKLE
COYOTILLO
COWSLIP
CURLY DOCK
CUTLEAF PHILODENDRON
DAFFODIL
DATURA STRAMONIUM (ANGEL’S TRUMPET)
DEATH CAMUS
DELPHINIUM
DEVIL’S IVY
DIEFFENBACHIA (DUMB CANE)
ELDERBERRY
ELEPHANT EAR
ENGLISH IVY
ERGOT
EUCALYPTUS
EUONYMUS (SPINDLE TREE
EUPHORBIA CACTUS)
FALSE HELLEBORE
FERN
FLAME TREE
FIG (WEEPING)
FIRE THORN
FLAMINGO FLOWER
FOUR O’CLOCK
FOXGLOVE
GLOTTIDIUM
GOLDEN CHAIN
GRASS: (JOHNSON, SORGHUM, SUDAN & BROOM CORN)
GROUND CHERRY
GROUND IVY
HEATHS: (KALMIA, LEUCOTHO, PEIRES, RHODODENDRON, MTN. LAUREL
HEMLOCK
HENBANE
HOLLY
HONEYSUCKLE
HORSE CHESTNUT
HORSE RADISH
HORSE TAIL
HOYA
HYACINTH
HYDRANGEA
IRIS IVY AND ENGLISH IVY
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
JASMINE
JERUSALEM CHERRY
JIMSONWEED
JUNIPER
LABURNUM (SEED)
LANTANA (RED SAGE)
LARKSPUR
LILY OF THE VALLEY
LOBELIA
LOCOWEED
LOCUSTS, BLACK / HONEY
LUPINE
MEXICAN POPPY
MILKWEED
MISTLETOE
MONKSHOOD
MORNING GLORY
MUSHROOMS
MYRTLE
NETTLES
NIGHTSHADES ( ALL OF THEM, including Potato plants )
OLEANDER
PARSLEY
PERIWINKLE
PHILODENDRONS
PIGWEED
POINSETTIA
POISON IVY
POISON HEMLOCK
POKEWEED
PRIVET
RANUNCULUS( BUTTERCUP)
RAPE
RED MAPLE
ST. JOHNS WORT
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
TOBACCO
TULIP
WISTERIA
YEWS
YELLOW JASMIN