Chickens love flowers, but not all flowers are good for them. There are many types of flowers that chickens can eat such as Mums, Chrysanthemums, and Roses. Chickens love these flowers because they have a lot of nutrients in them and they taste great to the chicken.
On the other hand, there are some flowers that are grown in the garden but are bad for chickens. Below is a list of popular flowers that can be dangerous and even cause death if any of your chickens eat them.
Bulb Flowers
Bulb flowers are flowers that grow from bulbs or modified stems. They are usually easy to grow and last for many years. Most bulb flowers will grow back each year unless they encounter cold weather (below freezing), at which time the bulb will die completely. Bulb flowers are commonly seen in gardens and public parks.
Why Bulb Flowers Are Bad For Chickens?
The bulb flowers contain a substance called galantamine, which can cause health problems for chickens that eat the flowers.
Azaleas
Azaleas are evergreen shrubs characterized by rounded leaves with wavy edges and prominent veins. They produce clusters of flowers in spring, with colors ranging from whites and yellows to reds and purples. They grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, depending on the variety. In addition to flowering showpieces, azaleas make suitable shrubs to use as screens or hedges along property lines.
Why Azaleas Are Bad For Chickens?
Azaleas are harmful to chickens because they can cause respiratory problems and may even be fatal.
A study found that azaleas are harmful to chickens because they can cause respiratory problems and may even be fatal. Azaleas contain a substance called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can harm the liver, lungs, and heart of animals in contact with it.
Buttercups
The buttercup plant is a perennial that is native to Europe and Asia. It has been introduced to North America and Australia. The buttercup has broad, deep green leaves that are deeply divided into five to seven pairs of leaflets. The flowers are bright yellow with five petals in the shape of a star.
Why Buttercups Are Bad For Chickens?
Buttercups can be harmful to chickens because they contain toxic alkaloids (i.e., protoanemonin) that can affect the liver, heart, and nervous system of chickens.
Foxglove
Foxglove is a common name for herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Digitalis, of which there are approximately 100 species. The better-known species, Digitalis purpurea (common foxglove or purple foxglove), is a biennial or short-lived perennial plant native to western and southwestern Europe, including Britain and Ireland where it occurs in damp meadows and lowlands. It has also become naturalized elsewhere, such as eastern North America and New Zealand.”
Why Foxgloves Are Bad For Chickens?
Foxgloves are not only toxic to chickens but can also cause the birds to become paralyzed. The foxglove plant contains a substance called digitalis which is poisonous to poultry and can lead to death.
Lupine
The Lupine flower is an herbaceous plant that originated in Eurasia. There are different parts of the Lupine plant that can be used to make medicine, such as the leaves, roots, and seeds. When inhaled, the Lupine flowers cause mild sedation and relieve coughing and asthma. The Lupin stem has been known to protect an individual from charring and burning during fires.
Why Lupines Are Bad For Chickens?
Lupine is a type of legume that is harmful to chickens. Chickens are herbivores, so their digestive system can’t handle lupine. Lupine can cause intestinal blockages, which will lead to death in the case of severe cases.
Hydrangea
The hydrangea flower is a beautiful staple flower that is popular among gardeners and flower lovers alike. Many gardens use these flowers because of their ability to thrive in low to high-quality soils and still grow very well. Hydrangea petals can come in a variety of colors (blue, pink, white, or even purple). The color of the flower depends on the pH level. Hydrangea blooms are typically four to six inches across each flower, but they can also grow to be as large as 10 inches.
Why Hydrangeas Are Bad For Chickens?
Hydrangeas are not poisonous to chickens. However, they are not good for them either. The leaves and flowers contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can be lethal when ingested or inhaled in large quantities. These toxins can cause liver damage and death in chickens.
Lilies
Lilies are bulbous plants grown for their large showy flowers, prefer full sun in cool climates. Scape height for these lily varieties ranges from 18-30 inches high depending on the type of Lily. Lilies are native to China where they have been cultivated since the 6th century BC. Certain types are referred to as Tiger Lilies, Daylily, Easter Lilies, Asiatic Lilies, Japanese Show Lily, Madonna Lily, and more.
Why Lilies Are Bad For Chickens?
Lilies can be harmful to chickens if it’s eaten in large amounts. Chickens are not able to digest lilies because of their unique digestive system. When the lily is consumed by a chicken, it will get stuck in their gullet and cause them to suffocate or starve to death.
Lobelias
Lobelia flower is called herb and its herbal names are Lobelia inflata and Indian tobacco. It is a perennial plant that belongs to the family which is called the Campanulaceae. It grows in moist or wet conditions, especially in wetlands and mangroves. The plant has fiery red-colored flowers.
Why Lobelias Are Bad For Chickens?
Lobelias are a flowering plant that is harmful to chickens. In fact, it can be fatal for them.
The plant contains a substance called lobeline which is toxic to animals. It can cause heart arrhythmia and death of the animal due to irregular heartbeat.
Nightshade
Nightshades, also called Solanaceae, are a family of flowering plants that includes many common foods such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. They contain small, hairlike spines called trichomes.
Why Nightshades Are Bad For Chickens?
Nightshades are plants from the Solanaceae family. They include tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Nightshades plants contain a substance called solanine that can be harmful to chickens.
Chickens can’t digest nightshade plants as they lack the enzyme required to break down solanine. The result is a build-up of toxins in their body which result in paralysis and death within 12 hours of ingestion.
It is important to keep your chickens away from nightshade plants because they can cause serious harm or even death if consumed by them.
Periwinkle
Periwinkle flowers are just one of the herbs that can be found in your kitchen garden. These flowers are native to Peru and India and are eaten like food in some countries. The herb is widely known for its healing properties and edible flowers, which is an important point in cuisine since there is so much available in the kitchen garden. Periwinkle in cooking has many different meanings in many different cultures, depending on how it is used.
Why Periwinkles Are Bad For Chickens?
Periwinkles are harmful to chickens because they are high in nitrates, which can cause botulism in chickens.
Sweet Pea
Sweet pea flowers are bright, cheery, and incredibly fragrant. The fragrance is the variety that features lilac-pink flowers with white edges and large yellow centers, resulting in a splash of vibrant color! There are many different varieties of sweet peas, although what they all have in common is the fact that their flowers are edible.
Why Sweet Peas Are Bad For Chickens?
Sweet peas are harmful to chickens. This is because they contain a toxic compound called coumaphos, which is used in the production of some insecticides. Chickens are more sensitive to this compound than humans and can experience neurological damage from ingesting it.
This means that if you have a backyard chicken coop and feed the chickens sweet peas, they will suffer from neurological damage.
Yellow Jasmine
Yellow jasmine flowers (Gelsemium sempervirens), some people call them yellow jessamine, which is a hardy and evergreen shrub that is native to the Southeast United States and Northeast Mexico. The plant grows wild on the Georgia coast and ranges as far south as Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. It grows in thickets and can form a solid green screen.
Why Yellow Jasmines Are Bad For Chickens?
Yellow jasmines are a flowering plant that is harmful to chickens. The plant contains cyanide, and the flowers release cyanide when they are crushed or eaten. The toxin can cause death in as little as 15 minutes if it is not treated.
